Although other studies have shown that regular exercise can reduce an osteoarthritis sufferer’s reliance on medication alone to treat their symptoms, research subjects who took medications for their OA symptoms were four times more likely to drop out of a two-year exercise program than those who weren’t taking medicines for pain. The 143 study subjects ranged in age from 49 to 90 years old, with 65 percent 70 and older. “We looked at subjects taking medications for their OA symptoms, whether it was a prescription drug or an over-the-counter remedy,” said Frances Vaughn Wilder, PhD, the study’s lead researcher and the executive director of the Arthritis Research Institute of America (ARIA), the Clearwater, FL organization that completed the study. “These findings can certainly help exercise professionals identify those individuals who have a higher risk of abandoning a fitness program. ARIA’s study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Physical Therapy. It was written by Dr. Wilder and John P. Barrett, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who is ARIA’s founder and the president of its board of directors. Arthritis is a group of different diseases whose symptoms can range from and conditions, its symptoms can range from stiff joints to complete immobility and pain. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, the "wear and tear" type that affects more than 27 million Americans after the age of 50 as their joints begin to age.
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Osteoarthritis (OA) Bring Out the Flip-Flops and Sneakers, Better for Osteoarthritis Hope For Those With Osteoarthritis Knee Pain |
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Why huff and puff on a stationary bike or stumble out of bed to take a walk when you can take pain medication for the stiff, aching joints caused by osteoarthritis (OA)? Unfortunately, some adults with OA find it easier to stick with pain medications than with an exercise program to manage their symptoms.
