Exercise Interventions for Osteoarthritis Management
Summary
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disorder characterised by cartilage breakdown, subchondral bone remodelling and joint inflammation. Exercise interventions encompass a spectrum of approaches—from supervised land‐based strengthening and neuromuscular control exercises to aquatic therapy and home‐based regimens—aimed at reducing pain, preserving joint function and enhancing quality of life. Strengthening of the quadriceps and hip stabilisers restores muscular support and improves joint biomechanics, while aerobic and flexibility exercises promote range of motion and cardiovascular health. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and weight-bearing regimens can augment muscle recruitment where voluntary activation is impaired. More recently, digital and telerehabilitation platforms have sought to overcome barriers to access, delivering tailored exercise programmes, real-time feedback and behavioural support remotely. Across diverse healthcare settings, exercise remains a cornerstone of non‐pharmacological management, demonstrating moderate to large effect sizes for pain relief and functional gains. Challenges persist in sustaining long-term adherence, necessitating integration of behavioural change techniques, self-efficacy enhancement and patient education. Globally, these interventions offer cost-effective strategies to mitigate the burden of osteoarthritis in ageing populations and resource-limited environments, underscoring the imperative for scalable, evidence-based exercise delivery models.
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Exercise Interventions for Osteoarthritis Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in exercise interventions for osteoarthritis management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Osteoarthritis: A chronic joint disease marked by cartilage degeneration, bone changes and synovial inflammation.
Randomized controlled trial (RCT): An experimental study design that allocates participants randomly to intervention or control arms to assess efficacy.
Telerehabilitation: Delivery of rehabilitation services via telecommunications technology, enabling remote exercise supervision and feedback.
Mindset intervention: A behavioural approach that reframes patient beliefs to foster adaptive attitudes towards disease management.
Self-efficacy: An individual’s belief in their capacity to execute behaviours necessary to achieve specific outcomes.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation: Application of electrical currents to elicit muscle contractions, used to augment strength in weakened musculature.
References
- A randomized clinical trial testing digital mindset intervention for knee osteoarthritis pain and activity improvement. npj Digital Medicine (2024).
- Efficacy of the mHealth-Based Exercise Intervention re.flex for Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (2024).
- Effectiveness of Different Telerehabilitation Strategies on Pain and Physical Function in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2023).
- Effects of home-based resistance training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2012).
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