A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that patients with knee osteoarthritis who perform hip-strengthening exercises can improve their ability to walk and possibly even reduce their knee pain, as well.
This study was derived from eight clinical trials with a total of 340 patients who performed various types of hip strengthening exercises. The study found that weight training exercises and elastic band exercises helped the most.
It is currently estimated that knee osteoarthritis affects one in four people over age 55. With our aging population and the increasing number of knee injuries occurring in younger active people, many experts predict an increasing burden on our health care systems to deal with the issue of knee osteoarthritis.
Most international guidelines recommend exercise in the conservative management of knee osteoarthritis, which affects one in four people over age 55. However, many doctors completely overlook the importance of exercise for knee osteoarthritis or lack knowledge of the most effective exercise programs or forms of exercise to guide patients. Those doctors that do prescribe exercise for knee osteoarthritis, unfortunately, often limit their recommendations to exercises that directly involve the diseased joint (in this case the knee) and forget about the mechanical consequences in other areas of the “kinetic chain,” like the hip.
Overall, it appears from this study that adding hip-strengthening significantly improved walking function, the most. Strengthening the hip muscles, particularly the hip abductors, may also improve pelvic drop and trunk control, thus lightening the load on the knee.
Do You Want To Start An Effective And Safe Strength Training Program For Your Knee and Hips?
Our facility, Performance Sport Care in Walnut Creek, CA, is the area’s best equipped, small, private strength training and exercise rehabilitation and sports chiropractic facility. We offer close, personal, professionally supervised instruction on a variety of state of the art strength training programs. Our programs involve the same protocols and the very same equipment used in professional sports, but are custom tailored to be compatible and safe for people of different ages and fitness levels. If you are interested in improving your strength, improving your physical appearance, and reducing injury risk factors please contact us with your questions or concerns.
We are are the leading Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation facility located in Walnut Creek, CA. Feel free to contact us with your questions or concerns at (925) 945-1155 or request an appointment.
