A recent study conducted by Tufts' Friedman School of Nutrition revealed new evidence indicating that the strengthening of muscles can decrease pain caused by arthritis.
The study was conducted by Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy faculty members Dr. Ronenn Roubenoff and Dr. Miriam Nelson, in conjunction with the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts.
Drs. Roubenoff and Nelson worked with participants suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee, the most common type and location of this disease.
Dr. Roubenoff has been studying the correlation between muscles and arthritis since 1987, but this most recent study has exciting implications for thousands of sufferers.
The study found an average pain reduction of 50 percent in participants who worked with small ankle weights or simply their own body weight three times a week in their own homes. This pain reduction is equal to that reported by users of drugs such as Aleve.
Dr. Roubenoff said, "It is very heartening that you can now do this at home, at low cost, and even low effort."
The study was based on the researchers' theory that "by strengthening the muscle, the joint will have a better shock absorber because it is the muscle that protects the joint from daily stress," explained Roubenoff. "The muscle tenses to prevent the bones from hitting at the kneecap."
"It was an added pleasure to see that the exercises also resulted in improved range of motion in the joints. There was also a self-reported 50 percent improvement in the ability of the participants to complete everyday tasks as compared to the control group."
The participants, all over the age over 50, were asked to partake in a series of high weight, low repetition exercises over a twelve week period, a technique that is "a totally different type of research than therapy, because in this method an intense amount of weight is used, basically a hard enough resistance so that by the seventh or eight repetition you can't do it well," said Roubenoff. In this way, "the muscle is strengthened by making it fail."
The 42 volunteer participants came to the Friedman Center in downtown Boston where tests were administered on muscle strength. They were then shown the excercises during home visits by trainer Kristin Baker, who was completing her Ph.D. at Tufts at the time and is now employed at Boston University.
She visited the participants' homes twice a week at the beginning of the study and asked them to keep logs of their excercises and progress. This process also "differs from studies done in the past because it worked on muscle strengthening without an aerobic focus," Roubenoff pointed out.
These findings, along with a cumulative 20 years of studies done in collaboration with the Friedman School and Mayer Center, are published in the book, Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis. This is the fourth in a series authored by Dr. Nelson and collaborators regarding the effects of exercise and nutrition on aging, especially in women.
Dr. Newman's other books have awarded her national recognition, including appearances on ABC World News with Peter Jennings and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
These findings may introduce an entirely new method for the management of arthritic pain.
"It will certainly be helpful to self-motivating women and men suffering from this disease," said Dr. Roubenoff, "I think they'll find it encouraging that they can now contribute to their own well-being."
More from The Tufts Daily
Trending
The Print Edition
