The effectiveness of exercise therapy to ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis is likely minimal, short lived, and probably no better than no treatment at all, suggests an overarching (umbrella) systematic review and pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal RMD Open.
The findings question the universal promotion of exercise as a first line treatment to ease pain and improve physical function in all those living with the degenerative joint disease, and highlight the need to revisit research priorities, conclude the researchers.
Exercise is consistently recommended as an initial treatment for various types of osteoarthritis. But an emerging body of evidence has questioned the extent and durability of its effects, note the researchers.
While numerous systematic…