RESEARCH - Exercise plays large role in recovery from knee replacement and the occurrence of OA

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Exercise Plays Large Role in Recovery from Knee Replacement and the

Occurrence of Osteoarthritis

Medscape

Posted 11 Mar 2009

Two new studies found that exercise may be a factor in recovering from

a total knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty or TKA) and knee

osteoarthritis (OA). One study involving a progressive quadriceps

strengthening program after total knee replacement found that it

enhanced clinical improvement almost to the level of healthy older

adults. The other study, the first to examine the relationship between

four components of physical activity and the incidence of knee OA in

older adults, found that certain types of activities were linked to an

increased risk of the disease. The studies were published in the

February issue of Arthritis Care & Research

(http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/77005015/home).

Nearly half a million total knee replacements are performed each year

in the U.S. to treat severe knee OA, which is on the rise due to an

increase in the elderly and overweight populations. Although knee

replacement improves function, patients continue to have impaired

quadriceps strength and function for activities such as walking and

climbing stairs, which remain below those of healthy people of the

same age. Rehabilitation targeting these areas has not been studied

well and is not routinely prescribed.

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http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/588032

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