Research Finds Exercise May Be Best Therapy for Osteoarthritis in Knee

In a second study in JAMA, researchers also determined that exercise was the best therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee. “In the past, opinion was divided as to whether exercise or rest was the better treatment for osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Stanley Slater of the National Institute on Aging. “This study clearly comes down on the side of exercise.

A team studied 439 people over the age of 60; some walked for an hour three times per week, while others undertook weight training. The study showed a modest but consistent improvement in pain relief, disability and physical performance for those who took part in either exercise program compared to a control group who did not exercise.