Physicians see these patients every day. Drug companies advertise to them constantly. Osteoarthritis plagues millions in this country. Jane Brody has written a beautiful summary of osteoarthritis today - Arthritis: Your `Reward' for Wear and Tear.

But the leading risk factor for arthritis is obesity, particularly excessive weight gain in midlife and beyond. The heavier you are, the more stress is placed on your spine, hips, knees and ankles.

Also, heavier people tend to resist exercise, resulting in another risk factor — weak muscles, particularly in the thigh. Weakness in the thigh, in turn, places extra stress on the knees.

Read the entire article, and you may want to print it for patients. I never knew exactly what to say to the 250 pound, 5 foot 3 inch woman who complained that her knees hurt. She thought I had a magic pill that I was hiding from her. Could this article have helped? ... Nah