Nobody likes weak knees, but these days, they seem to be the norm.
In America alone, over 700,000 people have had to get total knee replacement surgery to treat knee arthritis. Most people undergo knee replacement surgery because of osteoarthritis in the joint which can cause pain, swelling, and less knee mobility.
In fact, one study published in August 2023 in the journal Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine alleges that knee osteoarthritis is considered to have a high rate of morbidity and disability.
Those who are at the most risk of the painful condition are older adults, women, the overweight, and people who have participated in certain sports, such as soccer, tennis, and long-distance running. Genes and previous knee injuries can also play a role.
However, new research claims there is something you can do that may slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis or possibly eliminate its development.
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Strengthening the Leg Muscles May Alleviate Knee Arthritis
The new study, published in April in the journal JAMA Network Open, suggests that strengthening your leg muscles may protect you from knee arthritis.
In the study, researchers first performed a meta-analysis on data obtained from 5,003 patients in the Netherlands. However, they found no link between a person’s total physical activity and an increased risk for knee osteoarthritis.
Next, the researchers divided the patients into two groups — those whose physical activity came through non-weight-bearing activities such as swimming and cycling and those whose physical activity took the form of weight-bearing sports such as walking and running.
The team discovered that people who participated in weight-bearing recreational physical activity were more susceptible to knee osteoarthritis if they had low levels of lower-limb muscle mass.
“After seeing that only weight-bearing sports gave people an increased risk of knee osteoarthritis, we looked into whether its development was dependent on how much muscle you have surrounding the joint,” said study co-author Dr. Joyce van Meurs.
Larger muscle mass can protect and cushion the knee from mechanical forces inside the knee joint, so the researchers expected those with stronger muscles to fare better than those with weaker ones, which is what happened.
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Van Meurs said. “When people had a higher muscle mass, then the increased risk of developing osteoarthritis from weight-bearing sports was not there.”
Implications for Exercise and Sports
The new findings are exciting, but van Meurs believes there is still a lot to learn. For example, scientists know weight is the biggest risk factor for developing knee osteoarthritis. However, van Meurs said they are not “completely sure” that a high BMI is a major risk factor in developing knee osteoarthritis.
Dr. Kathryn Miller, an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, echoed her sentiments.
Miller said. “The higher your BMI, the higher stress you’re putting on your joints, especially when engaged in weight-bearing activities. Maybe people with higher BMIs will need even more lower-(limb) muscle mass than those with lower BMIs.”
Another large study, currently underway through Erasmus Medical Center, is trying to determine whether physicians can tailor their advice for patients based on their muscle mass, weight, and joint movement.
“We’re studying how much people can load their joint, based on these factors,” van Meurs said, noting many patients with knee pain ask their physicians whether it’s safe to continue participating in their favorite activities. “Currently, there is no definitive answer.”
What Is the Main Cause of Knee Arthritis?
There are more than 150 different types of arthritis. The cause of some forms is unknown, but arthritis is also known to result from disease, infection, genetic defect, injury, or overuse.
What Is the Fastest Way To Treat Arthritis?
Arthritis treatment usually focuses on relieving symptoms and improving joint function. Some of the fastest ways to relieve arthritis include using medications like NSAIDs, counterirritants, steroids, or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
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Physical therapy, like body exercise, can be helpful for some types of arthritis but not all, and certainly not as a fast solution to pain. If conservative measures don’t help, doctors may suggest surgery, such as joint repair, joint replacement, and joint fusion.
Is Arthritis Curable?
There is currently no known cure for arthritis. However, early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent permanent joint damage and reduce the overall impact of the condition. If you wish to stay free of knee arthritis, you should not joke around with health and wellness, as prevention is the only real cure for the condition at this time.
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