Weight loss surgery has long-term benefits for pain and mobility

While nearly two-thirds of participants said joint pain and their general health had interfered with their ability to do their job before surgery, that percentage dropped to 43% seven years later.

“I was impressed with the durability of the initial pre- and post-operative improvements in pain, function and work productivity,” said King, who added that the declines between three and seven years were small. , especially considering that participants are getting older.

Overall, the results add to the belief that “the benefits of modern bariatric surgical procedures – i.e. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy – far outweigh the risks,” King said.

Lona Sandon, program director at the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, reviewed the findings.

She said the additional benefits highlighted in the study are well known to doctors, who typically point them out to potential patients, even when patients’ primary motivation for surgery may be weight loss rather than pain relief. pain.

“Insurance does not approve surgery based on pain scales or movement capacity because those are not considered medical diagnoses,” while obesity is, Sandon said.

“Insurance is also not good at paying for prevention. Therefore, weight becomes the main focus,” she said, leaving patients to view the added benefits of surgery as a “bonus.” if and when they feel them.

“It’s nice to see a long-term study showing that these benefits last over time,” Sandon said. “Feeling better physically with less pain and greater ability to move can go a long way in improving mood and quality of life.”

The results were published on September 14 in Open JAMA Network .

More information

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery says more about the benefits of bariatric surgery.