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Stories for Reprint
Women's Knee Arthritis Linked to Cartilage
By Ferdous Al-Faruque, MARRTC Staff
The smooth cartilage in our joints is essential for movement. It prevents our bones from rubbing together and wearing away. A recent Australian study found that women start out with less cartilage in the knees than men, and this difference could explain why knee osteoarthritis is more common in women.
The study by the University of Melbourne and the Cancer Council of Victoria in Australia looked at the body fat and knee cartilage volume of almost 300 healthy middle-aged individuals, a majority of whom were women. Researchers found on average, men had more cartilage. However, men also tend to have more muscle mass compared to body fat than women. This suggests that more muscle mass and less body fat could also account for why men have more cartilage than women.
As people age, cartilage between their joints is slowly lost and in many cases they develop osteoarthritis or OA, a disease that affects 21 million Americans. A staggering, 70 percent of people over the age of 70 have OA. The disease is also more common in women, especially after menopause.
Steve Sayers, Ph.D, an exercise physiologist and assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of Missouri-Columbia, has been following the research at the University of Melbourne for a while. "I think this study and others by this group give a convincing argument that muscle mass is an important factor in the higher tibial cartilage found in men compared to women," says Sayers.
According to Sayers, the value of exercise should not be underestimated "There are numerous studies showing exercise benefiting the human body in so many ways; weight loss, cardiovascular health, disease prevention, psychological improvement, (and more)," says Sayers. "Because knee OA is the number one medical condition leading to more chronic disability in older adults in our country, this research points again to the importance of exercise and increasing muscle mass to prevent the development of this disabling condition."
Several recent studies have found people who have more muscle mass and comparatively less body fat are less likely to develop knee OA. Exercise over time can reduce pain and improve quality of life. One study from Johns Hopkins University found participants who walked 10,000 steps a day not only lost weight, but also reduced knee pain. Just losing 15 pounds reduced knee pain by half. Even the best drugs may only reduce knee pain by a third.
Sayers believes the Australian study is an important lesson for the medical community and healthcare professionals. "Doctors are once again provided another golden opportunity to recommend exercise for patients with health conditions," he adds.
The Arthritis Foundation offers self-help and exercise programs customized for people with arthritis. Details and location of these programs can be found on the Arthritis Foundation Web site at www.arthritis.org.
www.arthritis.org.
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