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Osteoarthritis and Exercise

Patient History

In 1983 Marie was in a car accident and spent several months in the hospital. She had a steel rod placed in her left femur and a full cast on her right leg. She was in traction for two months. Doctors told her husband she would never walk again. Since this time, she was very inactive. She experienced pain in her knees and hips, stating "I used to hurt every time the weather changed; when I ran the vacuum I wanted to lie in bed afterward because it hurt so badly. For awhile I even had a handicap tag in my car because if I couldn't park close, I would not even go to the store." Marie had tried diet after diet, but continually had trouble with weight management.

When she was finally diagnosed in 1994, her doctor told her she could not exercise on land, that aquatic exercise was the only thing she should do. She began exercising in the pool, taking an aquasize class three days a week. During an aquasize class she found out about the arthritis study and decided to join. For participation in the study she was provided with an 18-month membership to an exercise facility, and was part of a self-management exercise class once a week for four weeks. She received physical therapy once for her arthritis, which focused mainly on a strengthening program, with a cardiovascular component.

Questions

How is OA typically treated?

What do physical therapy treatments for arthritis consist of?