Obesity and Walking Canes
Obesity is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health by putting negative effect on our health, leading to reduced life expectancy and increased health problems. The basic cause of obesity is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. It occurs mainly as there is an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are rich in fats and an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization. Other causes of obesity includes; an inactive Lifestyle, Environment, Genetics, Age, Emotional factors (Stress, Anger), Medicines (like Corticosteroids, Antidepressants, and Seizure Medicines) and Psychiatric illness. Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), type 2 Diabetes, Obstructive sleep apnea, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis) and certain types of Cancer (endometrial, breast, and colon)
Disease Progression
If one is carrying extra few pounds than normal weight, one may suffer in all his daily life activities. Obesity causes breathlessness, increased sweating, difficulty in sleeping, feeling tired, and unable to cope with sudden physical activity. If it is not controlled it leads to hypertension, high cholesterol levels in body, and type 2 diabetes. Moreover, some people face problems like having low confidence level, low self esteem and feeling isolated in society.
Treatment
In treatment of obesity dieting and physical exercise are main steps. Energy-dense food having high level of fats and sugar in them should not be used regularly but one should adopt a balanced diet and food intake plan to be fit and healthy. Anti-obesity drugs can also be used to reduce appetite and decrease fat absorption in body when used together with suitable diet. If above mentioned methods are not effective then a gastric balloon may be effective or surgery may be performed to reduce stomach volume and less ability of fats to get absorbed.
Gait Disturbance
Obesity is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health by putting negative effect on our health, leading to reduced life expectancy and increased health problems. The basic cause of obesity is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. It occurs mainly as there is an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are rich in fats and an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization. Other causes of obesity includes; an inactive Lifestyle, Environment, Genetics, Age, Emotional factors (Stress, Anger), Medicines (like Corticosteroids, Antidepressants, and Seizure Medicines) and Psychiatric illness. Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), type 2 Diabetes, Obstructive sleep apnea, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis) and certain types of Cancer (endometrial, breast, and colon)
Disease Progression
If one is carrying extra few pounds than normal weight, one may suffer in all his daily life activities. Obesity causes breathlessness, increased sweating, difficulty in sleeping, feeling tired, and unable to cope with sudden physical activity. If it is not controlled it leads to hypertension, high cholesterol levels in body, and type 2 diabetes. Moreover, some people face problems like having low confidence level, low self esteem and feeling isolated in society.
Treatment
In treatment of obesity dieting and physical exercise are main steps. Energy-dense food having high level of fats and sugar in them should not be used regularly but one should adopt a balanced diet and food intake plan to be fit and healthy. Anti-obesity drugs can also be used to reduce appetite and decrease fat absorption in body when used together with suitable diet. If above mentioned methods are not effective then a gastric balloon may be effective or surgery may be performed to reduce stomach volume and less ability of fats to get absorbed.
Gait Disturbance
One of the major problems associated with obesity is difficulty with walking. Low back pain, and even immobility. As there is increase of fats in body as there is not enough consumption of food as compared to food intake. Obesity shows multiple problems much of them specifically related with walking problems. Multiple factors involved in gait disturbance are;
● Low back pain
● Effect on Balance
● Osteoporosis
● Plantar Fasciitis
● Musculoskeletal System
Low back pain
Latest researches show that obesity and low back pain are linked together. A person having higher mass body index develops low back pain. Obesity is characterized by reduced ROM of spine resulting in reduced mobility at both pelvic and thoracic level; a static postural adaptation with an increased anterior pelvic tilt. This risk increases with age. Other factor is increased levels of inflammation due to metabolic syndrome. Treatment of low back pain includes bariatric surgery and one should try to loose his weight to reduce low back pain.
Effect on Balance
In addition to an overall increase in Mortality, obese individuals face a greater risk of mobility impairments. Individuals with higher waist circumference and body mass demonstrate difficulty in bending, kneeling, stooping, lifting and carrying. The balance of human body is disturbed. Mobility and balance deficits may be reflected in impaired ability to stand, transfer motion, lean or reach, and respond to perturbation. One should exercise to limit the weight loss and adopt other methods of weight loosing. But it is also proved fact that only weight loss lonely can’t improve balance, the recovery is amplified in a combined intervention.
Osteoporosis
Obesity is correlated with
increased bone mass: Decreasing bone density and muscle mass and increasing fat
mass may act synergistically to affect gait in older adults. Bone, muscle, and fat may
affect gait and balance in older adults. Osteoporosis was prevalent in low
muscle mass participants and related to gait and balance deficits. Low muscle
combined with high fat mass had more functional deficits and poorer bone
health, which has implications for falls risk and fractures.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. It is flat band of ligaments that connect our heel bones to our toes. Planter fasciitis is most common is middle age people. Obese people might also suffer from it. Common causes are prolonged running and jumping or walking on unstable surfaces. Preventive measures include weight loss in obese people, running on smooth surfaces and use proper footwear.
Musculoskeletal System
Obesity has major effects on musculoskeletal system, such as causing osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, and fibromyalgia. Obesity in fact causes degeneration and produces inflammation in musculoskeletal system. Weight reduction is important in ameliorating some of the manifestations of musculoskeletal disease and improving function.
Mobility Aids
As obesity cause a problem in all our daily routine activities, so there are available aid devices to meet such problems. In fact a person remains easy without knowing what next he is going to face, but a time comes when there is severe condition of obesity. Moreover, it also depends upon the physician that at what time he asks his patients or allows them to use mobility aid devices. The factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to add a mobility device to the patient’s daily regimen include:
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. It is flat band of ligaments that connect our heel bones to our toes. Planter fasciitis is most common is middle age people. Obese people might also suffer from it. Common causes are prolonged running and jumping or walking on unstable surfaces. Preventive measures include weight loss in obese people, running on smooth surfaces and use proper footwear.
Musculoskeletal System
Obesity has major effects on musculoskeletal system, such as causing osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, and fibromyalgia. Obesity in fact causes degeneration and produces inflammation in musculoskeletal system. Weight reduction is important in ameliorating some of the manifestations of musculoskeletal disease and improving function.
Mobility Aids
As obesity cause a problem in all our daily routine activities, so there are available aid devices to meet such problems. In fact a person remains easy without knowing what next he is going to face, but a time comes when there is severe condition of obesity. Moreover, it also depends upon the physician that at what time he asks his patients or allows them to use mobility aid devices. The factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to add a mobility device to the patient’s daily regimen include:
●Does the patient feels stress
when moves from one place to another?
●Does patient feel low back
pain while bending or after standing some time?
●Does the patient remain house bound for fear of being unable to ambulate?
●Does the patient remain house bound for fear of being unable to ambulate?
●Does the patient remain house
bound for fear of being made fun of?
●Does the patient has a problem
of loosing body balance?
●Does the patient has feels pain in heels when he walks?
●Does the patient require others to take their arm or help them balance, when walking?
●Does the patient has feels pain in heels when he walks?
●Does the patient require others to take their arm or help them balance, when walking?
If the answer to any of these
above asked questions is YES, it’s most likely time to consider adding a
mobility device to the management regimen.
There are several options assisting the patients for overcoming such problems. Mobility canes are mostly used for obese people. Canes have been prescribed as an inexpensive device to potentially allow for increased mobility and function in individuals. The impact of canes on dynamic loads in the extremity during gait has not been defined in an obese population. By using cane a person come out of the fear of being dependent on other for all his daily life work and activities. Using can one can easily moves from one place to other, has more opportunity to go outside and walk which will help him in getting rid of obesity. Moreover, one always feel safe from fear of being falling or loosing balance on unstable surfaces. In short, one becomes independent and self confidence smoothes his mind and gives him relief.
Assistance in fitting for a cane can be very important in the obese patient. A proper fit and the training to use the cane effectively can often be found within the scope of services offered by a licensed physical therapist.
Conclusion
There are several options assisting the patients for overcoming such problems. Mobility canes are mostly used for obese people. Canes have been prescribed as an inexpensive device to potentially allow for increased mobility and function in individuals. The impact of canes on dynamic loads in the extremity during gait has not been defined in an obese population. By using cane a person come out of the fear of being dependent on other for all his daily life work and activities. Using can one can easily moves from one place to other, has more opportunity to go outside and walk which will help him in getting rid of obesity. Moreover, one always feel safe from fear of being falling or loosing balance on unstable surfaces. In short, one becomes independent and self confidence smoothes his mind and gives him relief.
Assistance in fitting for a cane can be very important in the obese patient. A proper fit and the training to use the cane effectively can often be found within the scope of services offered by a licensed physical therapist.
Conclusion
Obesity is a complex type of condition which can be enforced by different factors but using proper methods and taking a good care of your health, proper exercise, walk after each meal and proper and timely sleep can reduce the chances of getting obesity. Parents should take care of their children in food intake.
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