Exercise and Acupuncture For Knee Osteoarthritis
November 3rd, 2009
Exercise and acupuncture can be an effective treatment regimen for knee osteoarthritis.
A recent study indicates that people with osteoarthritis of the knee that exercise in moderation experience less pain, reduced disability and improved physical performance.
A group of 439 people age 60 and over with knee osteoarthritis took part in the 18-month study, a collaborative research project conducted by the University of Tennessee, Memphis and Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem.
Results from the Fitness Arthritis and Seniors Trial compared study participants who participated in either a moderate intensity aerobic or resistance training program with those who enrolled in a health education program. Findings indicated that there was an improvement in pain relief, disability and physical performance for those who participated in the aerobic and resistance training programs compared to the health education program control group.
“The findings are significant because they show that exercise over a long period of time is safe as well as beneficial for older people with knee osteoarthritis. They get relief from arthritis symptoms plus all the other health benefits of exercise,” says lead researcher Walter H. Ettinger, Jr., M.D., Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University.
In addition to exercise, acupuncture can be effective in the management of knee osteoarthritis and its symptoms.
Acupuncture may be combined with moxibustion to decrease the swelling, stiffness and pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. Acupuncture often results in improved functional ability and reducing dependence on medications.
Acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis is often an adjunct therapy integrated into an allopathic treatment plan. Individuals with intractable osteoarthritis may also require disease modifying agents for pain reduction, lifestyle modifications and physical therapy.
Individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee who have been treated with acupuncture in addition to routine care show an improvement in symptoms and quality of life compared with individuals who receive only standard health care.
Acupuncture is most effective for individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis who have moderate pain despite conventional medical therapy.
For information about acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500.
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