Walking is about as accessible as it gets when it comes to different ways to exercise the human body, and new research suggests it could be an effective approach to combat osteoarthritis in the knees. A study looked at the benefits of a regular stroll in adults over 50 and discovered that it can not only relieve discomfort, but it can also prevent joint degeneration.
Scientists from Baylor College of Medicine conducted the study, which is based on a multi-year observational study of more than 1,200 people aged 50 and over who have knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. The participants self-reported their walking habits, including the amount of time they spent walking and how often they did so, allowing the researchers to categorize 73 percent of the cohort as “walkers” and the rest as “non-walkers.”
The likelihood of suffering frequent knee pain was reduced by 40% in those who walked for exercise. X-ray pictures were also utilized to evaluate the course and severity of osteoarthritis in the knees, with the walkers having a lower risk of medial joint space narrowing, a sign of arthritis. This shows that going for a walk on a regular basis could not only relieve pain but also slow down the progression of osteoarthritis in the knees.
“These findings are especially valuable for those who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain in their knees every day,” said Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, the paper’s first author. “This research backs up the idea that walking for exercise can help reduce the beginning of daily knee pain.”” It may also help to reduce the progression of osteoarthritis damage inside the joint.
Although there is no cure or means to reverse osteoarthritis, there are therapies available that focus on alleviating pain and improving mobility, such as medication and physical therapy. Exciting discoveries in regenerative medicine are being developed, and grafts may one day be used to fortify problematic joints and reduce inflammation, but research like this one shows that we already have some effective tools.
“People with knee osteoarthritis should walk for exercise, especially if they don’t have everyday knee pain,” Lo recommended. “There may still be a benefit if you already have everyday knee discomfort, especially if you have the type of arthritis where your knees are bow-legged.”
The study was published in the Arthritis & Rheumatology journal.
