Exercise does not increase osteoarthritis risk

Regular exercise has no adverse impact on joints, says a new study.

Regular exercising is beneficial for weight control, disease management in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and for improving psychological well being of an individual.

However, it has been claimed that it is potentially deleterious to one”s joints, in particular those of the lower extremities.

In a new study, the researchers from Boston, USA, and Ainring, Germany, reviewed existing studies on the relationship between regular exercise and osteoarthritis (OA).

They found that in the absence of existing joint injury there is no increased risk of OA from exercise.

“We found that in elite athletes where there was more likelihood of obtaining sports injuries, there was an increased risk of OA in the damaged joints, but in most people vigorous, low-impact exercise is beneficial for both it”s physical and mental benefits,” said lead researcher David Hunter MD PhD, New England Baptist Hospital.

“The largest modifiable risk factor for knee OA is body weight, such that each additional kilogram of body mass increases the compressive load over the knee by roughly 4kg,” he added.

The study is published in the Journal of Anatomy.