Knee osteoarthritis and exercise adherence: a review.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rheumatology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent, debilitating condition in aging adults.
• Exercise is recommended for OA management, but adherence remains a significant challenge.
• Limited research specifically addresses exercise adherence barriers and facilitators in knee OA populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on exercise adherence in general and within the context of knee OA.
• To identify factors influencing exercise adherence among individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
• To understand the relationship between knee OA and long-term exercise participation.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search and review of studies related to exercise adherence.
• Analysis of general exercise adherence factors.
• Focus on factors specific to knee osteoarthritis.

Main Results:

• Exercise demonstrates strong potential to mitigate knee OA progression and severity.
• Actual exercise adherence rates among individuals with knee OA are consistently poor.
• Numerous barriers to exercise adherence exist, including disease-specific and general factors.
• Key recommendations include enhancing patient-provider relationships and individualizing exercise prescriptions.

Conclusions:

• Lifelong exercise is crucial for optimizing function and well-being in adults with knee OA.
• Current exercise recommendations are often followed inconsistently.
• Strategies to improve adherence include individualized assessments, shared decision-making, and ongoing monitoring.