Association of physical activity with physical function and quality of life in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis: longitudinal analysis of a population-based cohort

Abstract

Hip and knee osteoarthritis (HKOA) is a chronic disease characterized by joint pain that leads to reduced physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). At present, no cure is available. Clinical trials indicate that people with HKOA benefit from physical activity in several health-related outcomes. However, few studies have evaluated the long-term positive effect of regular physical activity. This study analyzed participants with HKOA from a nationwide population-based cohort (EpiDoC Cohort) to assess the impact of physical activity on patients’ physical function and HRQoL over a long-term follow-up. The regular weekly frequency of intentional physical activity was self-reported as non-frequent (0 times/week), frequent (1–2 times/week), or very frequent (≥ 3 times/week). This study followed 1086 participants over a mean period of 4.7 ± 3.4 years, during which 6.3% and 14.9% of participants reported frequent and very frequent physical activity, respectively. Using linear mixed models, we found that frequent (β = − 0.101 [− 0.187, − 0.016]; β = 0.039 [− 0.002, 0.080]) and very frequent physical activity (β = − 0.061 [− 0.118, − 0.004]; β = 0.057 [0.029, 0.084]) were associated with improved physical function and HRQoL over time, respectively, when compared with non-frequent exercise, adjusting for years to baseline, sex, age, years of education, body mass index, multimorbidity, hospitalizations, clinical severity, and unmanageable pain levels. These findings raise awareness of the importance of maintaining exercise/physical activity long term to optimize HRQoL and physical function. Further studies must address barriers and facilitators to improve the adoption of regular physical activity among citizens with HKOA.

Therapeutic exercise interventions in rat models of arthritis

“…Movement-related pain is often reported by patients with arthritis, however, some forms of moderate exercise have been found to have protective effects on the joint in rodent models of arthritis ( Pitcher et al, 2017 ). Exercise is often recommended to patients with arthritis by physicians and allied health professionals with limited guidance on the optimal frequency, duration, method, or intensity of movement required to alleviate joint pain and preserve joint integrity ( Holden et al, 2021 , Lopes et al, 2023 , Sluka et al, 2018 , Qaseem et al, 2017 ). Light to moderate therapeutic aerobic exercise has been found to improve pain in OA patients ( O'Connor et al, 2015 ), however, clinical research in this field often relies on participant self-report of activity levels and lacks objective measures which could contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the specific beneficial components of therapeutic exercise for arthritic pain.…”

Personalized Physical Activity Programs for the Management of Knee Osteoarthritis in Individuals with Obesity: A Patient-Centered Approach

“…The role of regular PA in the prevention and treatment of several chronic diseases has been widely reported [7]. In this context, recent evidence has underlined the importance of regular PA in patients with KOA since it appears to be associated with improved physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over time and has therefore been considered clinically useful in KOA management [8]. Similarly, PA appears to have a fundamental role in obesity management [9] for different reasons: first, because of its contribution to the preservation of muscle mass loss during weight loss from calorie restriction [10]; second, in being a predictive factor associated with better long-term weight loss maintenance [11]; and third, for its benefits in several health outcomes beyond reducing body weight, including a positive impact on conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA) [12].…”