Investigators have found that promptly initiated exercise therapy may effectively reduce pain and increase functionality in patients showing early symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, according to a report from Medscape. In a new study—published by Middelkoop et al in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage and simultaneously presented at the 2023 Osteoarthritis Research Society International World Congress on Osteoarthritis—the investigators analyzed data from 1,895 patients with knee osteoarthritis who had either received or did not receive exercise therapy. The patients had average baseline pain scores of 41.7, and physical function scores of 37.4. After 3 months and 12 months of follow-up, the investigators discovered that pain scores in those receiving exercise therapy declined by 4.56 and 7.43 points, respectively. Additionally, patients who had experienced symptoms of knee osteoarthritis for less than 1 year reported pain scores of 26 and physical function scores of 21 after 12 months of exercise therapy compared with 33 and 29, respectively, among patients who had experienced symptoms for over 2 years. Despite their findings, the investigators noted that physicians may face challenges when attempting to identify patients with early symptoms or encouraging their patients to comply with the recommended exercise therapy. The investigators suggested that simple exercise programs designed to improve range of motion and quad strength may help patients increase their uptake in exercise.
May 25, 2023