Successfully Treating Patients With Osteoarthritis: How Encouragement of Physical Activity Can Generate the Best Outcomes. A Physician’s Perspective
The public health burden of osteoarthritis (OA) is substantial as it is the most common form of arthritis, with an increase in prevalence over time.1 This rate is higher among veterans, perhaps in part because of their high exposure to trauma, a known risk factor for OA. The disability and costs related to OA are high, such that among US service members medically separated from active duty, OA is the most common cause of disability.2 Unfortunately, there are no disease-modifying treatments for OA that provide benefits from both a symptom and a structure perspective. In a recent study,3 we found that in people with radiographic evidence of OA but without frequent knee pain, those who walk for exercise are far less likely to develop regular knee pain compared to those who do not walk. Additionally, there is a suggestion that people who walk are less likely to have worsening of their structural disease over time. Therefore, I strongly recommend walking for my patients with knee OA. When I