Frequent knee pain was less likely to develop in those over age 50 who have pain-management compared to those who did not walk, according to a study published in the Journal Arthritis and Rheumatology.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine looked at over 1200 individuals diagnosed with arthritis who were part of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multiyear observational study where participants self-reported the amount of time they walked for exercise.
They found that those who walked for exercise were 40% less likely to develop new frequent knee pain compared to the non-walkers.
“When we looked at those who did not have regular knee pain at the beginning of the study , those who walked for exercise were LESS likely to develop regular knee pain compared to those who do not walk”, Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor, chief of rheumatology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and first author of the study, told Fox News.
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“These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” Lo, who also is an investigator at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety at Baylor and the VA said a release about the research.
Hips and knees are the most frequent culprits of arthritis, experts say.
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Lo told Fox News that the findings however suggest that once people have regular knee pain, those who walked for exercisea> did not have more resolution of symptoms than those who did not walk.< are bow-legged,” she said in the release.
Lo told Fox News that the researchers also found that those who walked for exercise had less damage to their joints, based on x-ray findings. Lo also said that 30% of people age 60 or older have knee osteoarthritis, so “the public health implications of these findings are potentially substantial.”
Close up of senior couple having a walk by the beach
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Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It involves the “wear and tear” of the joint surfaces in the knee, physical therapists explained to Fox News. This can create inflammation around the joint surfaces, erode cartilage and contribute to pain. healthy-living” target=”_blank”>Physical therapists explained to Fox News<
Edward Farrell, PT, MS,OCS, CSCS, is a physical therapist and certified orthopedic specialist at us-regions who was not part of the study but did comment on the recent report to Fox News.
“Many times in my practice we comes across individuals with minimal or moderate osteoarthritis that are unfortunately becoming more sedentary due to some pain,” Farrell told Fox News. “The result is potential weight gain, reduced cardiovascular health, and of course joint stiffness and muscle weakness.”
Senior patient hands
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Farrell who is also a heart-health” target=”_blank”>certified strength and conditioning trainer<
Farrell also said that it is important to wear quality supportive sneakers when walking and gradually increase short walks. The physical therapist also advised that while walking is important, “building some lower extremity strength and losing maybe five pounds may provide some needed relief.”
Fox News asked the investigators what the average duration of each walk was, but they said that information was not available. Health experts said to Fox News it is important to check with your physician prior to beginning any type of exercise regime and to see if walking is appropriate for your situation.
