Self-Management, Strength Training Provide Benefits to Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and the second leading cause of disability in the United States.  While a number of studies have compared strength training protocols with self-management programs in older patient populations,  researchers at the Multidimensional Intervention for Early Osteoarthritis of the Knee (Knee Study), conducted at the University of Arizona Arthritis Center (USA), completed a 24-month long unblinded, randomized intervention trial to compare the effects of strength training programs, self-management programs, and a combination of both.  The 273 study participants were between the ages of 35 and 65 years, reported pain and disability due to knee pain on most days in one or both knees for a period of no more than 5 years, and had radiographic evidence of knee OA in one or both knees.  Study participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups. The strength training group engaged in a 9-month initial phase designed to improve the core areas of stretching and balance, range of motion and flexibility, and isotonic muscle strength. The second, 15-month phase of this group concentrated on developing independent, long-term exercise habits. The second study group participated in a 2-phase self-management program designed to educate participants and provide one-on-one treatment advice. The combined group participated in both the complete strength training and self-management programs.  While the researchers set out to demonstrate that a combination of OA treatment programs would prove most effective, the study failed to uncover significant differences in results among the 3 study participant groups; all 3 groups demonstrated improvements in physical function tests and decreased self-reported pain and disability.  The team concludes that: “Middle-aged, sedentary persons with mild early knee osteoarthritis benefited from strength training, self-management, and the combination program. These results suggest that both strength training and self-management are suitable treatments for the early onset of knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged adults. Self-management alone may offer the least burdensome treatment for early osteoarthritis.”