Effect of weight gain on your feet

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Carrying around excess weight is well-known for being hard on your knees, but what about your feet? Dr. Pedro Cosculluela, an orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist Hospital, answers that question for FOX 26 News.   

"They could be related, but the majority of time when we gain weight or even if we lose weight, we don't do it rapidly, so our feet have time to get acclimated to those changes," says Dr. Cosculluela. "Most of the time, foot pain, even if they're on the heavy side, doesn't have to do with weight. Most of the time there is pathologic process taking place that is leading to their foot pain."           

While medical studies often show weight gain can trigger foot and ankle pain, because it causes increased stress on tendons, your feet can often handle it, if the weight is added slowly over time. 

"It's hard to link one to the other just because you have to look at a rapid weight gain, versus something that is gradual," explains Dr. Cosculluela. "When I see those patients, they have plantar fasciitis. If they're slightly older, they can lose some of the heel pad and that can be causing problems, but rarely do I blame weight, and I don't bring up weight, if I can avoid it."          

For more information, visit http://www.houstonmethodist.org/find-a-doctor/profile/?Id=486554.