Nutrition Supplementation and Exercise for Knee Osteoarthritis
Study Purpose
This study looked at how well nutrition supplements (like glucosamine and chondroitin) and exercise work together to help people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to just exercise alone.
Study Details
A total of 65 people aged 40-75 with knee OA took part in this study. They were split into two groups: one group received supplements plus exercise, while the other group received a placebo (fake supplement) plus exercise. The study lasted for 6 months, and the main measurement used was the WOMAC score, which shows how OA affects daily life.
Key Findings
Out of the 65 people, 56 completed the study. Here are the main results:
- At 3 months, more people in the supplement plus exercise group showed significant improvement in their WOMAC scores compared to the placebo group.
- At 6 months, the supplement plus exercise group also had better improvements in knee stiffness than the placebo group.
- The strength of the leg muscles showed greater improvement in the supplement group at 3 months.
- Both groups saw some improvements in pain and overall function at 6 months, but the supplement group saw improvements earlier.
Conclusion
Nutrition supplementation combined with exercise is more effective than exercise alone for treating knee OA. This approach leads to faster improvements in symptoms.
Key Points
- Nutrition supplements can enhance the benefits of exercise.
- Improvements in symptoms can be noticed earlier with supplements.
Next Steps for Clinics and Patients
To improve care for knee OA, focus on:
- Measuring outcomes clearly to track improvements.
- Selecting appropriate tools, like AI, to help with patient management.
- Starting with small projects to test new strategies before expanding.
