Study: Exercises With Weights Better Initially for Osteoarthritis Sufferers

People with osteoarthritis of the knee who rely on exercise to treat their condition should use free weights or fixed weight machines to strengthen their knees before moving on to the more specialized exercise available by working with a physical therapist.

As reported in the June issue of Seminars in Arthritis & Rhematism, a team of Taiwanese researchers divided 132 patients with knee osteoarthritis into four groups based on type of exercise received.

The exercise groups were isokinetic muscle-strengthening exercise, isotonic muscle-strengthening exercise, isometric muscle-strengthening exercise. Members of the fourth group received no exercise and served as controls.

The researchers found that isotonic exercise, which occurs against fixed resistance such as dumbbells or nautilus or universal machines, had the greatest effect on pain reduction with fewer participants giving up due.

The researchers found that isokinetic exercise produced the greatest increase in walking speed and decrease of disability just after exercises and at follow-up. Isokinetic exercise uses machines that control the speed of contraction. For example, an isokinetic stationary bicycle set at 90 revolutions per minute will not allow the exerciser to exceed that rate. Such machines are mainly used by physical therapists.

"Isotonic exercise is suggested for initial strengthening in patients with osteoarthritis with exercise knee pain, and isokinetic exercise is suggested for improving joint stability or walking endurance at a later time," concluded the researchers.

Other sources: Seminars in Arthritis & Rheumatism, 32:398-406