New Delhi: AIIMS Delhi recently reported a case involving a man in his 20s, a physical trainer, who was unable to lift the front part of his right foot after losing an alarming 11 kg in just 15 days. Noting this, doctors have warned that rapid weight loss can sometimes lead to a condition known as ‘slimmer’s paralysis‘, causing paralysis in the lower limbs.
“Simmer’s paralysis is a rare occurrence, but this case shows such complications can occur and, therefore, one should be wary of undertaking extreme measures to lose weight fast,” Dr Vivek Shankar, additional professor in the department of orthopedics at AIIMS, said.
Rapid weight reduction, he added, causes loss of protective fat around the peroneal nerve — a nerve that runs down the outside of the leg, providing movement and sensation to the foot, toes and lower leg.
“Weight loss does not affect the body’s physical structure only. It affects the metabolic system also. If someone loses weight too fast, the body may find it difficult to adapt to the changes leading to serious complications. Slimmer’s paralysis is one of them. It has been reported widely,” Dr Shankar said.
The AIIMS case has been published in British Medical Journal (BMJ). It states that the physical trainer presented to an orthopaedics outpatient clinic with a “right-sided foot drop of one-year duration”.
One year ago, the case report says, the trainer had participated in a professional body-building competition, following which he had a two-day period of binge eating which was predominantly composed of carbohydrates. After this, he developed diffuse swelling in both his lower limbs associated with a sudden increase in his body weight.
He subsequently underwent an intentional, rapid weight loss of 11 kg over a period of 15 days, following which the foot drop occurred. This weight loss was equivalent to 13% reduction in body weight (0.73kg/day) from his baseline weight of 84 kg.
The trainer did not have any kind of infection or metabolic disorder that could explain the foot drop — difficulty to lift the right foot, tests found, after which the doctors suspected it could be a result of rapid weight loss. He was treated with physiotherapy, nutritional support and with the help of external biomechanical devices to stabilise the gait and functioning of the affected lower limb.
Dr Deepak Chaudhary, director and head of arthroscopy and sports medicine at BLK-MAX Hospital, said unsustainable weight loss practices and extreme dieting leads to loss of protective fat around the knee, making the common peroneal nerve prone to slimmer’s paralysis.
“Although this condition is treatable with full recovery when diagnosed early, it warrants the need of a systematic and scientific approach to weight loss, which includes a balanced and healthy diet with gradual introduction of both aerobic exercises as well strength training. People must understand that losing weight is a journey that requires discipline and dedication rather than quick fixes and influencer’s advice,” he said.
