No Pain, No Gain for Arthritis Patients

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Aug. 28, 2002 -- The old exercise adage, " no pain, no gain, " may be

especially true for people who suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee. New

research shows the pain these people experience after exercise is only

temporary, but the benefits are not.

" Explaining to patients that the increased pain they feel right after

exercising isn't long-lasting --and helping them cope with that temporary

increase -- may help them stick with an exercise program long enough to

obtain [a] long-term reduction in pain, " says researcher C. Focht, PhD,

of East Carolina State University, in a news release.

Nearly 16 million men and women in the U.S. suffer from the joint pain and

inflammation caused by osteoarthritis (OA). Because there is no cure,

researchers say treatments focus on slowing the disease's progression and

minimizing its impact on sufferers' daily lives.

Regular exercise, such as brisk walking, has already been shown to reduce

pain and improve flexibility in people with OA of the knee. But convincing

people with OA to start and stick with an exercise program that might

initially cause them more pain is difficult.

Focht says his study may help people with knee osteoarthritis get over this

" pain hump " by proving that the increased pain following exercise is

short-lived.

In the study, Focht and colleagues monitored pain levels among 32 men and

women over 60 who had osteoarthritis in one or both knees and were overweight

or obese. Researchers say people who are overweight or obese are more likely

to report that OA has a negative effect on their quality of life.

The participants reported their pain levels throughout the day over a period

of six days. Every other day, the men and women engaged in a one-hour of

exercise that consisted of walking at 50-70% of their maximum heart rate

along with weight training.

Researchers found pain spiked immediately after these mid-afternoon exercise

sessions, but it abated by evening. In addition, pain levels reported by the

participants were significantly lower the following day compared with

immediately after exercise.

Since exercise has proven to not only reduce pain but improve psychological

well-being over the long-term in people with knee OA, Focht says it's

important to not let initial exercise-related pain discourage further

exercise.

The study appears in the August issue of the ls of Behavioral Medicine.