Exercise Reduces Pain from Arthritis

Therapeutic exercise can help reduce pain and improve physical function in people with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to a recent literature review. This review was reported in the August 2002 issue of the Journal of Rheumatology.

The analysis of 14 studies involving a total of 1633 patients showed that therapeutic exercise had ?at least immediate moderate? benefits in reducing lower limb pain, and ?immediate small? benefits in improving self-reported physical function.

Exercise sessions in the studies lasted from 30 to 90 minutes, and the exercise programs lasted from 1 to 3 months. The studies included in the evaluation involved individual, group, and home-based exercise programs making use of muscle-strengthening exercises, aerobic walking, and balance coordination.