A recent study suggests that walking, cycling, and swimming are the most effective exercises for managing arthritis. Researchers reviewed 217 clinical trials to determine the optimal exercises for addressing the painful condition, which affects approximately ten million individuals in the UK, with 5.4 million suffering from knee osteoarthritis, predominantly women.
The research, conducted by experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the US, examined studies involving 15,684 participants published between 1990 and 2024. According to author Lei Yan, exercise plays a crucial role in treating knee osteoarthritis by enhancing muscle mass, neuromotor control, and joint range of motion, ultimately leading to improved strength, reduced pain, and enhanced physical function.
Each year, around 350,000 people are diagnosed with osteoarthritis, typically starting to experience symptoms at the age of 55. The study compared different exercise types such as aerobic, flexibility, strengthening, mind-body, neuromotor, and mixed exercises, evaluating their impact on knee pain, function, gait performance, and quality of life at short, mid-term, and long-term follow-ups.
The review highlighted that aerobic exercises like cycling, swimming, and walking consistently demonstrated the highest likelihood of being the most effective treatment across various measures. Mind-body exercises such as yoga and tai chi showed significant short-term functional improvements, while neuromotor exercises like squats and lunges led to substantial short-term enhancements in gait performance. Strengthening and mixed exercises were found to notably improve knee function in the medium term.
The research findings were published in the British Medical Journal. Lei Yan, a doctoral student, emphasized the global impact of osteoarthritis, particularly on older individuals, emphasizing the importance of addressing the pain and disability caused by the condition to improve overall quality of life.