Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease in the world, yet very few patients are directed to the only treatment proven to protect their joints and relieve their pain: exercise.
Exercise is one of the most effective treatments for chronic, disabling joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis.
Research across healthcare systems in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States shows the same pattern: less than half of people with osteoarthritis are referred for exercise or physical therapy by their primary care providers.
More than 60% of them are given treatments that are not recommended by guidelines, and about 40% of them are referred to a surgeon before even trying non-surgical options, according to the British newspaper The Independent.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, already affecting more than 595 million people worldwide.
According to a global study published in The Lancet, this number may approach one billion people by 2050. Longer life expectancy, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing numbers of people who are overweight or obese contribute to this trend.
Layer for protection
The cartilage that covers the ends of our bones is a tough protective layer that lacks its own blood supply.
The cartilage compresses like a sponge when you walk or put pressure on the joint, drawing fluid out and then returning new nutrients to it.
Each step allows nutrients and natural lubricants to circulate and keep the joint healthy.
For this reason, the long-standing belief that osteoarthritis is just wear and tear is wrong. Joints are not like car tires, which are inevitably exposed to corrosion.
Osteoarthritis is best understood as a long process of wear and repair, in which regular movement and exercise are crucial to healing and the health of the entire joint.
There are currently no medications that modify the course of osteoarthritis. Joint replacement surgery may change some people’s lives, but it is major surgery and is not successful for everyone.
Exercise should be tried first and continued throughout each stage of the disease.