Rallie McAllister, M.D., M.P.H.
If you're a physically active baby boomer, you've probably come to realize that there's really no such thing as a completely risk-free form of exercise. Minor aches and pains are to be expected, and no matter how careful you are, there's always a chance you might trip and fall on the treadmill or drop a dumbbell on your toe.
If you're worried about the toll that your exercise program is taking on your knees, however, the results of a long-term study published in the February 2007 issue of Arthritis Care and Research may put your mind at ease. Researchers at Boston University reported that moderate exercise doesn't increase the risk of developing arthritis of the knee in older adults.
The study included more than 1,200 participants with an average age of 53. At the beginning of the study, the participants had knee X-rays performed and answered questions about their exercise habits and symptoms of knee aches, pains, or stiffness.
The same individuals repeated the process approximately a decade later. After analyzing the participants' X-rays, exercise patterns, and knee symptoms, researchers found no relationship between moderate physical activity--including walking and jogging--and the development of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Although osteoarthritis can strike virtually any joint in the body, the knee is the one most commonly affected. The risk of developing the condition increases with age: Approximately half of adults over the age of 65 have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
As a progressive, degenerative disease, osteoarthritis is caused by a breakdown of the cartilage within the joints. While healthy cartilage is a firm, rubbery substance that serves as a cushion and shock absorber for joints, the cartilage in arthritic joints is typically brittle and thin, and often becomes ragged or torn.
As the cartilage continues to wear away, the bone ends may begin to grind against each other. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and enter the joint space, causing considerable pain, swelling, and even deformity.
Although osteoarthritis appears to be influenced by genetic factors, obesity is known to be a major risk. In overweight individuals, every pound of excess body weight adds about four or five pounds of additional load to each knee.
For this reason, even modest weight loss can significantly improve the symptoms of arthritis of the knee and slow the progression of the disease. Getting plenty of exercise is one of the most effective ways to lose weight, but for individuals with chronic knee pain, it's easier said than done.
Although aspirin, ibuprofen, and other anti-inflammatory medications can reduce arthritis pain, they're not entirely risk free. The drugs are notorious for causing gastrointestinal problems, ranging from mild stomach upset to bleeding ulcers.
Likewise, many prescription medications have proved to be less than satisfactory in the long-term management of osteoarthritis. The drug Vioxx, once a mainstay of treatment, was withdrawn from the market in 2004 after being linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
For folks who aren't willing or able to take conventional drugs to relieve the pain of mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee, the combination of two nutritional supplements, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, is a popular alternative. The supplements are generally well tolerated and are associated with few side effects.
Although their exact mechanisms of action still aren't fully understood, laboratory studies suggest that the supplements stimulate cartilage growth and inhibit the action of enzymes responsible for cartilage destruction. Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate appear to have mild anti-inflammatory effects that can ease discomfort and reduce swelling.
A number of scientific studies have demonstrated the supplements' effectiveness in reducing the pain and progression of osteoarthritis, especially in the knee joint. The results of the largest of these studies, the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), suggest that when taken together, daily doses of 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine and 1200 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate may produce a significant reduction in knee pain associated with osteoarthritis.
If you decide to take the supplements for symptom relief, don't expect immediate results. Because both are slow-acting agents, they must be taken daily for at least four to eight weeks to produce noticeable effects; and maximum pain relief may not occur until the third month of treatment.
Hopefully, baby boomers will live to see a cure for osteoarthritis of the knee. Until then, a treatment program that includes pain management, weight loss, and moderate exercise may be the next best thing.
========
Rallie McAllister, M.D., M.P.H., is a family physician in Kingsport, Tenn., and author of "Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim." Her Web site is http://www.rallieonhealth.com. To find out more about Rallie McAllister, M.D., and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
Copyright 2007 Creators Syndicate Inc.
If you're worried about the toll that your exercise program is taking on your knees, however, the results of a long-term study published in the February 2007 issue of Arthritis Care and Research may put your mind at ease. Researchers at Boston University reported that moderate exercise doesn't increase the risk of developing arthritis of the knee in older adults.
The study included more than 1,200 participants with an average age of 53. At the beginning of the study, the participants had knee X-rays performed and answered questions about their exercise habits and symptoms of knee aches, pains, or stiffness.
The same individuals repeated the process approximately a decade later. After analyzing the participants' X-rays, exercise patterns, and knee symptoms, researchers found no relationship between moderate physical activity--including walking and jogging--and the development of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Although osteoarthritis can strike virtually any joint in the body, the knee is the one most commonly affected. The risk of developing the condition increases with age: Approximately half of adults over the age of 65 have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
As a progressive, degenerative disease, osteoarthritis is caused by a breakdown of the cartilage within the joints. While healthy cartilage is a firm, rubbery substance that serves as a cushion and shock absorber for joints, the cartilage in arthritic joints is typically brittle and thin, and often becomes ragged or torn.
As the cartilage continues to wear away, the bone ends may begin to grind against each other. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and enter the joint space, causing considerable pain, swelling, and even deformity.
Although osteoarthritis appears to be influenced by genetic factors, obesity is known to be a major risk. In overweight individuals, every pound of excess body weight adds about four or five pounds of additional load to each knee.
For this reason, even modest weight loss can significantly improve the symptoms of arthritis of the knee and slow the progression of the disease. Getting plenty of exercise is one of the most effective ways to lose weight, but for individuals with chronic knee pain, it's easier said than done.
Although aspirin, ibuprofen, and other anti-inflammatory medications can reduce arthritis pain, they're not entirely risk free. The drugs are notorious for causing gastrointestinal problems, ranging from mild stomach upset to bleeding ulcers.
Likewise, many prescription medications have proved to be less than satisfactory in the long-term management of osteoarthritis. The drug Vioxx, once a mainstay of treatment, was withdrawn from the market in 2004 after being linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
For folks who aren't willing or able to take conventional drugs to relieve the pain of mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee, the combination of two nutritional supplements, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, is a popular alternative. The supplements are generally well tolerated and are associated with few side effects.
Although their exact mechanisms of action still aren't fully understood, laboratory studies suggest that the supplements stimulate cartilage growth and inhibit the action of enzymes responsible for cartilage destruction. Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate appear to have mild anti-inflammatory effects that can ease discomfort and reduce swelling.
A number of scientific studies have demonstrated the supplements' effectiveness in reducing the pain and progression of osteoarthritis, especially in the knee joint. The results of the largest of these studies, the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), suggest that when taken together, daily doses of 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine and 1200 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate may produce a significant reduction in knee pain associated with osteoarthritis.
If you decide to take the supplements for symptom relief, don't expect immediate results. Because both are slow-acting agents, they must be taken daily for at least four to eight weeks to produce noticeable effects; and maximum pain relief may not occur until the third month of treatment.
Hopefully, baby boomers will live to see a cure for osteoarthritis of the knee. Until then, a treatment program that includes pain management, weight loss, and moderate exercise may be the next best thing.
========
Rallie McAllister, M.D., M.P.H., is a family physician in Kingsport, Tenn., and author of "Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim." Her Web site is http://www.rallieonhealth.com. To find out more about Rallie McAllister, M.D., and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
Copyright 2007 Creators Syndicate Inc.
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