Dr. Manno also likes the fact the study was based on self-report data. “They didn’t look at X-rays or WOMAC (i.e., the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) scores,” she says. “They simply asked, ‘Do you have joint pain?’ Even though in this study there was not any measure of joint damage, it is powerful that they used patient language, which is what clinicians hear every day. They were asking how the patients feel, and that is important for how we manage their symptoms.
‘In essence, this study took a grounded approach to asking a simple & very practical question.’ —Dr. Manno
“Self-reported data have pitfalls, but it is even more powerful that despite those weaknesses, these researchers still found an association that intuitively makes sense—people who were physically active were less likely to have joint symptoms over time,” Dr. Manno says. “And the amount of physical activity did not need to be excessive. Of course, not having joint symptoms doesn’t mean they do not have or will not develop arthritis, but having fewer joint symptoms is very important if you are that patient.”
Dr. Manno notes several areas she’d like to see examined going forward. “The work did not [consider] the added benefits of prolonged physical activity or exercise, such as cardio fitness, stronger muscles, improved functional mobility, etc.,” she says. “Also, it would be interesting to know—for people who have arthritis and joint symptoms—how physical activity [could] mitigate symptoms over time. Perhaps future studies will address that.”
Elizabeth Hofheinz, MPH, MEd, is a freelance medical editor and writer based in the greater New Orleans area.
Reference
- Peeters, G, Edwards KL, Brown WJ, et al. Potential effect modifiers of the association between physical activity patterns and joint symptoms in middle aged women. Arthritis Care & Res (Hoboken). 2017 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print]
