A Knee Pain Lesson From the World of Diabetes

A recent British study caught my eye. It wasn’t about knees, but diabetes. But there’s a lesson in there for knee pain sufferers, I believe.

Researchers split into two groups 300 people with type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes. All were ages 20 to 65 and had been diagnosed with diabetes within six years.

The control group followed regular treatment guidelines.

The second group stopped taking their diabetes drugs and were put on an 825-calorie-a-day diet of shakes and soups for three to five months. After losing weight, they returned to other food and received monthly counseling to keep the pounds off.

Two years later, 36% of those in the second group, but only 3% in the control group, had blood sugar that had fallen out of the diabetes range without taking drugs.

Weight loss turned out to be the critical factor, not surprisingly. Losing weight is a great idea to help with many problems, including knee pain.

But one takeaway I found quite interesting: one of the study’s authors said the results show that type 2 diabetes isn’t an “inevitably progressive disease.”

Osteoarthritis, which is what many knee pain sufferers are diagnosed with, is often portrayed too as an “inevitably progressive disease.” Knee pain in general is similarly thrown into the basket of hopeless causes.

But I think there’s a lot that people with hurting knees and even osteoarthritis can do to arrest the downhill slide, and even begin to get better.

The first thing is to reject the dismal pessimism of the phrase “inevitably progressive disease.” I mean, have you ever heard anything so depressing? There is absolutely no light at the end of that tunnel.

I think there’s ample reason to reject that dour thinking. Some of us with knee pain who were written off have gotten better. And then you have this latest study of people with diabetes, who modified their diet, shed weight, and managed to escape a lifelong regimen of drugs.

Open Comment Forum: What Are Your Goals This Summer?

I figured today I'd throw the comment section open to whatever people want to discuss.

If you don't have a better subject, you can take a crack at this one: What are your knee goals this summer? When the weather turns warmer, hiking up mountains and cycling down by the beach become attractive (but potentially risky) activities. (Apologies by the way to our friends down under, as they're not moving into summer, but winter!)

So how do you take advantage of the pleasant, warmer weather without overstressing your knees? What are your plans?

Of course the usual rules apply: Feel free to talk about whatever you want to below. You don't have to discuss the headline question. Share your problems if you're seeking insight. There are a lot of smart people who hang out at this blog who are generous about sharing their experiences with the struggle to beat knee pain.

I hope all are having a good month of May so far!