Weight loss before knee surgery shows little benefit: review
Big evidence gaps exist on the advantages of weight loss ahead of replacement, review says
Short-term weight loss before a total knee replacement is unlikely to reduce surgical risk or improve outcomes and might contribute to development of sarcopenic obesity, a Canadian review suggests.
Lead author Dr Kristine Godziuk (PhD), of the University of Alberta, said she and fellow researchers had anticipated an evidence gap but were nevertheless “surprised” by the lack of substantive evidence.
“Practitioners should be aware of this gap, and share this current uncertainty (lack of evidence) with their patients,” Dr Godziuk said.
As reported in Joint Bone Spine, Dr Godziuk and colleagues searched the literature from 2010 to May 2020 in three areas:
