Yoga vs. Strength Training: Both Offer Relief for Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis,a prevalent musculoskeletal condition affecting over 595 million individuals globally,is characterized by joint inflammation and cartilage damage,often stemming from aging.While muscle strengthening exercises are a common primary treatment, recent research explores alternative approaches.
The Study: Yoga as a Viable Alternative
A study published in JAMA Network Open investigated the effectiveness of yoga compared to customary muscle strengthening exercises in alleviating pain and improving function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The research team, comprised of experts from institutions including the University of Tasumeinia and the University of Melbourne, conducted a 24-week trial involving 117 patients.
Participants, with an average age of 62.5 years and predominantly female (72.6%), were randomly assigned to either a yoga program (58 participants) or a strength training program (59 participants). The initial 12 weeks involved supervised sessions and autonomous practise, followed by 12 weeks of unsupervised home exercises.
Before the experiment, all participants reported knee pain levels exceeding 40 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a tool used to measure subjective pain experiences, where higher values indicate greater pain. The average baseline VAS score was 53.8 points.
Key Findings: Comparable Pain Reduction
The study revealed that both yoga and muscle strengthening exercises resulted in clinically meaningful reductions in knee pain. Post-program, the average difference in VAS scores between the two groups was a mere -1.1mm, deemed clinically insignificant.
Both yoga and muscle strengthening exercises resulted in clinically significant reductions in knee pain.
Furthermore, yoga demonstrated notable advantages in several secondary evaluation metrics, including:
- Knee arthritis evaluation index (WOMAC) pain: -44.5 mm
- WOMAC function: -139 mm
- WOMAC stiffness: -17.7 mm
- Patient’s overall evaluation: -7.7 mm
- 40m fast walking test: Showed slightly larger improvement than muscle strength reinforcement groups.
- Depression and quality of life: The yoga group also showed slightly higher improvement.
Understanding the Mechanisms
Muscle strengthening exercises are believed to alleviate pain by reinforcing the muscles surrounding the knee, thereby reducing mechanical stress and improving joint function. Yoga, conversely, emphasizes stress reduction, flexibility enhancement, and pain management through breathing techniques, physical postures, and mindfulness.
This study provides compelling evidence that yoga is equally effective as knee muscle strengthening exercises in reducing knee pain and enhancing functionality.
Expert Perspective
Integrating yoga with a replacement or complementary exercise option in the medical field can definitely help manage knee osteoarthritis.
Researchers of the study
The researchers suggest that incorporating yoga as a complementary or alternative exercise option could significantly aid in the management of knee osteoarthritis, offering patients a broader range of treatment possibilities.
