Walking to Help with Knee Pain
The latest talk in reducing knee pain? Walk the walk.
It’s a well-known fact: walking has a wide variety of health benefits, including improved sleep quality, stress and weight management, muscle strength and flexibility, respiratory fitness, joint health, bone density, enhanced mood, and more.
Add less new frequent joint pain for those with knee osteoarthritis. A recent study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers out of Baylor College of Medicine indicates that “walkers” (labeled as such for 10 or more instances of walking for exercise) 50 years and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis experienced less new frequent knee pain than “non-walkers” (those who reported less than 10 instances of walking). Once the results were tallied; walkers have a 40% less chance of developing new frequent knee pain compared to non-walkers.
The study also suggests that walking for exercise may also slow the damage that occurs within the joint.
Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor, chief of rheumatology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, and one of the study’s researchers, says the findings should be of particular interest to people who have knee osteoarthritis but don’t experience daily knee pain.
“This is important information that all OSMS patients should know, particularly our knee osteoarthritis patients”, states OSMS Board-Certified Rheumatologist, Dr. Paul Utrie. “It’s a safe, non-invasive way to manage arthritis pain and joint deterioration. Short of surgery, most attempts of medically managing arthritis have typically fallen short. Walking is low impact, free and doesn’t have any side effects like medications might…so I encourage everyone to try it.”
Dr Utrie emphasizes that osteoarthritis patients, along with anyone else wanting to walk for exercise, should start slow and build up to a distance and pace suitable for your individual needs. Call OSMS or schedule an appointment, and we will help you set and meet your pain management and joint health goals.
