If you think everyone you know is considering a knee replacement because of painful knees, you’re not wrong. Johns Hopkins orthopedic surgeon Stefan Coombs says knee osteoarthritis is the number one cause of adult disability nationally, and the number of folks reporting this condition continues to increase. 
Coombs: This is believed to be highly prevalent today because of the significant increase in life expectancy. The number of Americans greater than 65 and older is growing from 58 million in 2022 to 82,000,000 over the next 30 years. Another significant contributing factor is the current obesity epidemic. Using the body mass index, one in every three adults is considered to be overweight and two in every five adults are considered to be obese.  :32
Coombs says while there’s nothing to be done about aging avoiding obesity is something people can attempt to help their knees. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.