Study Supports Exercise for Knee Arthritis

Exercise probably is the best treatment other than surgery for knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, a research review finds. Current guidelines already recommend exercise. But the review did not support other recommended treatments. It found no long-term benefit from tai chi or massage. With electrical stimulation, pain actually got worse over time, the review found. The new study was based on a review of 193 earlier studies. It found that only a few types of physical therapy helped to reduce pain or disability or help function of the knee. Exercise worked best. The authors said people should get an exercise prescription from a physical therapist. Aerobic exercise or strength training both can help, they said. Sticking with the plan improved results. But strenuous workouts were no better than moderate exercise. The journal Annals of Internal Medicine published the study.