Impact of Exercise on Progression of Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that can cause joint pain and disability. One of the joints most often affected is the weight-bearing joints, such as the knees, hips and spine. There are various risk factors for osteoarthritis in the form of genetic mutations, obesity, trauma, age-related biomechanical factors and hormones that can damage the tissue of any joint, but primarily cause cartilage damage, subchondral bone changes and synovial inflammation. The progression of osteoarthritis develops slowly over time, but after an injury it can progress much more quickly, over just a few years. Anyone can suffer from osteoarthritis; occurs with increasing age. Estimates of the number of people suffering from disabilities due to osteoarthritis range from one to two million people in Indonesia. Treatment focuses on treating symptoms and trying to modify/improve the structural features of the affected joint tissue. Currently available therapies aim to improve the quality of care, quality of life, and relieve pain in Osteoarthritis patients. Various types of exercise such as aerobic exercise, strength training, neuromuscular training, balance training, proprioception training, aquatic training, and traditional exercise can reduce the progression of osteoarthritis with each type of exercise training has its own mechanism for improving various symptoms due to osteoarthritis as well as the course of the disease itself. In patients suffering from osteoarthritis, muscle strength training helps reduce aches and pains, and increases walking speed. Exercise also reduces knee joint load and plasma levels of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6. These findings suggest that exercise has beneficial effects in oateoarthritis patients.