In 2022, studies found that 1 in 8 people worldwide were living with obesity. In Singapore alone, 30% of individuals were found to be overweight and 10% were obese. As these numbers continue to rise, so will the number of knee and spine injuries caused by excess weight.
Carrying a few extra kilos might not seem like a big deal at first glance. However, the excess body weight can silently affect your joints over time, especially your knees and spine.
How Overweight Are We?
ASEAN countries recorded 28 million men (4.0%) and 51 million women (8.0%) living with obesity in 2020.
In 2022, 43.3% of Singaporean adults had abdominal obesity, with an overall obesity rate of 11.6%. Indonesia saw a 23.4% adult obesity rate in 2023. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, 54.4% of adults were either overweight or obese in 2024 – a steep rise from just 4.4% in 1996.
These statistics point to a worrying trend that is only going up. With cheap and often unhealthy meals at our fingertips, it has become easy to overindulge whenever we feel like it. Paired with busy schedules and a lack of exercise, losing weight can feel like an uphill battle.
The Impact on Your Knees and Spine
The knees and spine (the backbone) are essential parts of the musculoskeletal system. When overloaded with excess body weight, they can become vulnerable to inflammation and chronic wear-and-tear.
Your knees help to support your body weight, in addition to enabling movement and bending.
The spine is one of the most important parts of your body, helping to provide structure to the body. It helps you to maintain body posture, and more importantly protects the spinal cord.
Your knees and spine are critical parts of your body, and were never meant to carry more than necessary. Excess weight can result in a litany of consequences, many of which can lead to serious long term conditions.
Knee Joint Degeneration
The knee joint is made up of cartilage that cushions and minimises friction between bones during movement. When too much weight is placed on the knee joint, this can speed up the cartilage breakdown through wear and tear. This increases the risk of osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative condition that causes pain, swelling and joint stiffness.
Lower Back Pain
The spine keeps the upper body upright and aligned. Excess weight, particularly around the abdomen area, can cause your centre of gravity to shift. This can strain and pull the spine out of alignment, leading to poor posture. Over time, it can lead to persistent lower back pain.
Herniated Discs and Degenerative Disc Disorder
Spinal discs are part of the spine, and help to cushion the vertebrae and absorb shock. Being overweight exerts additional pressure on these discs, sometimes causing them to bulge and rupture.
Ruptured spinal discs are known as herniated discs. Leaked substance from these discs can press on nerves, causing pain that radiates down the legs. This condition is also known as sciatica.
Over time, excess weight also accelerates disc degeneration. Worn-out discs will become less effective in cushioning movement, which can increase the amount of bone-on-bone friction. If left untreated, this can lead to chronic back pain.
Chronic Inflammation
Furthermore, fat tissues can produce inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. These chemicals can increase joint inflammation and pain sensitivity, further aggravating existing pain in the joints.
Is Weight Loss the Only Solution?
According to Dr Hamid Razak, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Total Orthopaedic Care & Surgery, weight loss can significantly ease the amount of stress on your joints.
“Even modest weight loss can make a big difference. Every 1kg lost reduces the load on the knees by about 4kg with each step. That means losing 5kg can take up to 20kg of pressure off your knees with every step you take.”
He also shared that a 5 to 10% reduction in body weight can significantly improve pain and joint function for most overweight or obese individuals.
As such, weight loss is a simple but effective way to prevent knee and spine problems in the future. If left untreated, medical interventions like keyhole knee surgery may be needed to manage your symptoms.
Can I Reduce Knee and Spine Pain Without Losing Weight?
While you can alleviate knee and spine pain without losing weight, you may be better off shedding the excess kilograms anyway.
Knee and spine pain often exists in a cycle: with excess weight, the pain in your joints increases. This pain discourages movement, which in turn demotivates you from moving. Breaking this cycle can be difficult, but it is often the easiest way to help relieve your pain symptoms.
When asked for his advice on the matter, Dr Huang Yilun, fellow Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Total Orthopaedic Care & Surgery, said it best.
“Motion is lotion, mobility is key. Move if you can. Don’t use it and you’ll lose it.”
By taking small steps towards staying active, you can make a big difference in the amount of knee or spine pain you experience.
Start With Low-Impact and Joint-Friendly Exercises
For those just starting out, low intensity exercises are ideal to help ease you back into motion. Exercises that are particularly beneficial for those with knee and spine issues could be:
- Aquatic exercises like aqua aerobics, water walking, or water jogging.
- Cycling on a stationary bike.
- Chair-based exercises, especially for seniors.
- Elliptical trainers that can help with smooth gliding motions.
- Core strengthening exercises (e.g. yoga, Pilates).
These simple exercises can be helpful in relieving your knee and spine pain, especially if they are under stress from excess weight. They can also provide ways to improve your strength and mobility without putting unnecessary stress on your joints.
Add Support With Knee Braces
Knee braces may not fix the root cause, but they can help to provide short-term stability and pain relief. This is especially helpful for individuals with underlying arthritis or ligament laxity (weakened ligaments around the joint).
Make sure that you are using the right type of knee brace for your condition. If in doubt, speak to a professional for advice.
Take Care of Your Knees and Spine
Prevention and consistency matter the most when it comes to taking care of your load-bearing structures. Some things you can do to maintain your health include:
- Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the loads on your joints.
- Stretching regularly to reduce stiffness and maintain mobility.
- Strengthening the muscles supporting the joints (the core, hips and thighs).
- Cultivating a good standing and sitting posture to protect the spine.
- Wearing cushioned and supportive shoes to offload the joints.
- Pacing yourself by not doing too much or quickly after a sedentary period.
Key Takeaways
Your physical health is more than just your appearance. Your knees and spine work hard to support you daily, so don’t let excess weight wear them down.
By adopting a healthier lifestyle, you can significantly ease the strain on them, reduce the risk of chronic pain, and protect your mobility in the long run.
Dr Hamid Razak and Dr Huang Yilun are Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons at Total Orthopaedic Care & Surgery, Singapore.
