With Australia’s aging population, hip and knee osteoarthritis is becoming an increasingly common presentation to our clinic. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths surrounding the condition, one of the most common being that exercise does more damage. This is simply untrue, and it is important to remember that pain does not equal damage. In fact, exercise has been proven to reduce pain and improve function in the long term for people with osteoarthritis, even if it initially causes pain. I know this can be hard when you are sore, but there are plenty of options. If you are experiencing a flare up, the pool or an exercise bike can be fantastic. More generally simply walking has been shown to positively influence the cartilage between your joints. On top of this, strength exercises have been scientifically proven as very beneficial in managing osteoarthritis. This does not change for people who are going in to have a joint replacement. We know that pre-surgery fitness and strength is one of the best predictors of a positive surgical outcome. This is why many orthopaedic surgeons refer their patients to a physiotherapist for an exercise program before undergoing surgery.
Charlie Shepherd
Physiotherapist
Mount Lawley Physiotherapy and Podiatry
