Osteoarthritis of the Knee in Middle-age Athletes: Many Measures are Practiced, but Lack Sound Scientific Evidence

Abstract

Osteoarthritis of the knee generally affects individuals from the fifth decade, the typical age of middle-age athletes. In the early stages, management is conservative and multidisciplinary. It is advisable to avoid sports with high risk of trauma, but it is important that patients continue to be physically active. Conservative management offers several options; however, it is unclear which ones are really useful. This narrative review briefly reports the conservative options for which there is no evidence of effectiveness, or there is only evidence of short-term effectiveness.

Effect of Mechanical Traction and Therapeutic Exercises in Treatment of Primary Knee Osteoarthritis

“…Therapeutic exercises of low to moderate intensity does not accelerate the progression of knee osteoarthritis (7,8). Therapeutic exercises are an established treatment option and upcoming studies are hardly going to change confidence in this fact (9,10). Therapeutic exercises mainly improve aerobic fitness, hip and knee muscle strength and flexibility (11,12).…”