Arthritis of the Hip and Knee- The role of exercise

Hip and Knee Arthritis

Wear and tear, osteoarthritic changes, are characterised by disruption and thinning of the cartilage and subsequent bony change. Patients will classically experience pain, stiffness and joint swelling, more often after activity, first thing in the morning and after rest.

Both the hip and knee are commonly affected by osteoarthritis, especially after the age of 50. A lot of sufferers find that as the pain, stiffness and swelling increases, their ability to work and enjoy leisure activities reduces and their dependency on medications can become stronger.

Management of arthritis of the Hip and Knee

In management of the condition, there are 3 main options, pharmacological; non-pharmacological (such as hands on manual therapies) and surgery. In all groups maintaining physical activity and exercise is recommended, no matter what stage the condition is at and pain level experienced. Exercise and activity should be tailored appropriately to accommodate a patients needs and ability.

According to research, the key factors to note are;

1. Strong evidence suggests that exercise in general can help manage the pain of hip and knee osteoarthritis.
2. Benefits of exercise on pain continue after the intervention. Some patients report benefits 3-18 months after they stop.
3. Appropriate exercise can be given irrespective of age, pain, comorbidity and disability.
4. Exercising in a group or on your own is equally as effective
5. There is no evidence to suggest that any type of exercise is superior to any other (aerobic, strengthening etc).
6. There is some evidence to suggest that improving strength in the leg muscles will reduce pain in the knee in sufferers with osteoarthritis.

For more information, please click the link below

https://www.ncor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/snapshot-summary-exercise-therapy-hip-knee-osteoarthritis.pdf)

To book a consultation with the team at Broadwater Osteopaths, click the link here Book Online | Broadwater Osteopathic Practice (janeapp.co.uk)

To find out more about how osteopathy may help arthritic pains, click the link here Arthritic Pain & Degeneration | Broadwater Osteopathic Practice (worthingosteopathy.com)