Exercise is actually good for the knees
New research shows exercise may be good for the knees
For years, studies have offered conflicting opinions on whether exercise is good for knees. A new report by Monash researchers that has been released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) provides strong evidence that exercise is, in fact, good for the knees.
The research study was led by Dr Donna Urquhart and Dr Flavia Cicuttini from Monash University and examined the effects of physical activity on individual parts of the knee.
The report, titled “What is the Effect of Physical Activity on the Knee Joint? A Systematic Review,” was published this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, ACSM’s official scientific journal.
“Several studies have already examined the impact of physical activity on the knee as a whole, but none have looked at the effect of physical activity on individual parts of the knee,” Dr Cicuttini, head of the musculoskeletal unit in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University said.
“As it turns out, exercise affects each part of the knee differently, which helps explain why there have been conflicting reports for so long.”
According to the team’s findings, while exercise was linked to osteophytes, or bony spurs, there were no detrimental changes to joint space, the place where cartilage is housed. There were beneficial effects on cartilage integrity, with evidence of greater volumes and fewer defects.
“These findings are significant, as they suggest that osteophytes, in the absence of cartilage damage, may just be a functional adaptation to mechanical stimuli,” Dr Urquhart said.
The report comprised data from 28 studies, representing 9,737 participants from all parts of the world. All included studies examined the relationship between physical activity and knee osteoarthritis and also included MRI evidence of osteoarthritic knees when investigating disease progression or healthy knees when investigating disease incidence.
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 40,000 international, national, and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.