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- December 2009
- Exercise warning for middle-aged
Exercise warning for middle-aged
1 December 2009: Doing high levels of physical activity in middle-age could put you at greater risk of knee problems and osteoarthritis, warned researchers at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
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The researchers presented results from a study of more than 200 adults aged between 45 and 55 that looked at the link between physical activity level and knee damage. The study looked at the link between physical activity level and knee damage.
The people included in the study were all within a healthy weight range and did not have any apparent symptoms of osteoarthritis, such as knee pain. Each person completed a questionnaire on the type and amount of activity they usually do in a week, including activities such as housework, gardening and walking, as well as any sports they take part in. From this, the researchers determined their activity level and separated the group into those who had a low, middle or high level of activity. Each person also had an MRI scan of their knee to look for any evidence of damage.
The researchers found that knee abnormalities – such as damage to cartilage (the flexible, connective tissue that surrounds the knee joint) and knee ligaments (tissue that connects bones together), and inflammation of the bone – were more common in the people in the high activity group. Damage to the cartilage also tended to be worse in the people in the high activity group.
It is already known that doing lots of high-impact exercise (exercise that puts a strain on your joints, such as running), can lead to injury and may increase your risk of osteoporosis. Low-impact exercise (such as swimming) does not have this effect as it does not put a strain on your joints.
The researchers in this study suggest that their results show middle-aged people who do lots of activity (regardless of whether it is low or high impact) may also have a higher risk of osteoporosis. They believe that the types of knee damage they saw on the MRI scans are a sign of osteoporosis risk – even though the people did not have any apparent injury.
Dr Sneh Khemka, director of Bupa International, said: “This is a small study, which has shown that damage to the knee seems to be more common in middle-aged people who are more active. However, it’s too big a leap to say that this means these people are at greater risk of osteoarthritis, as the researchers didn’t look at whether they did go on to develop this condition.
“Older people may want to steer clear of higher-impact sports, such as running, if they want to lower their risk of knee injury. But it is still important to stay active for overall health. In fact lower impact activities such as swimming and cycling are actually beneficial if you have osteoarthritis as they can help to strengthen your muscles.”
Key facts
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Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Worldwide, it is estimated that one in 10 men and nearly two in 10 women aged over 60 have osteoarthritis. It is one of the most disabling conditions in developed countries.
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Osteoarthritis is more likely to develop as you get older and is more common in women. Being overweight and having an injury can also increase your risk.
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Very hard, repetitive activity can injure your joints and increase risk, but normal activity is good for your joints, as it can help to strengthen your muscles.
- See a doctor if you have any symptoms such as stiff and painful joints.
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Lower impact activities such as swimming are actually beneficial if you have osteoarthritis.
Dr Sneh Khemka
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