Dr. Vaishali Suri (P.T.)
Obesity and Weight Management: Physiotherapy Exercise Therapy in Faridabad
Obesity is one of the fastest-growing health challenges in urban India, driving epidemics of type 2 diabetes, knee and hip osteoarthritis, sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain. For many obese individuals, the very conditions caused by obesity — painful joints, breathlessness, and fatigue — make conventional exercise difficult or impossible.
This is where physiotherapy-led exercise therapy plays a transformative role: making safe, progressive, joint-friendly exercise accessible for patients who cannot tolerate conventional gym-based activity.
At Realign Rehab Clinic, NIT-5, Faridabad, our expert physiotherapists provide personalised, evidence-based care. Serving NIT, Green Field Colony, Ballabhgarh, Sector 21–82, and across Faridabad. Contact us: +91 9818185589.
Causes and Risk Factors
- Energy-dense diet combined with increasingly sedentary modern lifestyle
- Musculoskeletal pain preventing weight-bearing exercise — creating a vicious cycle
- Metabolic conditions: insulin resistance, hypothyroidism, PCOS
- Psychological barriers: depression, emotional eating, exercise avoidance
- Post-injury or post-surgical immobilisation causing weight gain
- Medications causing weight gain (steroids, some antidepressants and antidiabetics)
Signs and Symptoms
- Knee, hip, and lower back pain from increased joint loading
- Reduced walking tolerance and breathlessness with moderate activity
- Poor posture and back pain from excess abdominal weight
- Reduced functional mobility: difficulty climbing stairs, rising from chairs
- Sleep disturbance from sleep apnoea associated with obesity
- Low exercise self-efficacy and confidence
Physiotherapy Treatment at Realign Rehab, Faridabad
- Low-impact cardiovascular exercise: cycling, hydrotherapy, and seated exercise to build aerobic fitness without joint loading
- Progressive resistance training to increase metabolic rate and muscle mass
- Pain management to enable exercise: manual therapy, orthotics, and electrotherapy
- Exercise behaviour change: motivational interviewing, goal-setting, and activity monitoring
- Nutritional liaison and referral: coordinating with dieticians and physicians
- Personalised exercise prescription with heart rate and exertion targets
- Home exercise programme with step targets and progressive milestones
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I exercise if my joints are painful due to obesity?
Yes — but the exercise needs to be appropriate. Hydrotherapy, cycling, and seated resistance training are highly effective, low-impact options.
Physiotherapy also addresses joint pain to make exercise more comfortable from the start.
What is the best exercise for obese patients with knee pain?
Aquatic physiotherapy is the best starting point for obese patients with knee pain — it allows effective cardiovascular and resistance exercise with minimal knee loading. Cycling is another excellent low-impact option.
How does physiotherapy help with weight loss?
Physiotherapy provides personalised, pain-free exercise programmes that overcome the musculoskeletal barriers to activity. We also address the pain that prevents exercise, making sustained activity possible for the first time for many patients.
Is hydrotherapy good for weight loss?
Hydrotherapy provides effective cardiovascular conditioning and muscle strengthening in a joint-friendly environment. It is an excellent starting point for patients who cannot tolerate land-based exercise, with transition to land-based training as fitness and pain improve.
How much exercise do I need to lose weight?
Current guidelines recommend 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week for weight loss. Our physiotherapist will design a programme that builds gradually to this target from your current fitness level.
Book Your Consultation
Contact Realign Rehab Clinic today:
- 📍 NIT-5, Faridabad (near Green Field Colony, Ballabhgarh Road)
- 📞 +91 9818185589
- 🕑 Mon–Sat: 8 AM–8 PM