How a Single Exercise Can Prevent Knee Surgery
This recent study challenged my bias about exercise
Exercise is medicine, but have you ever wondered how much exercise is needed to heal the body?
Studies show exercise is a powerful tool for treating knee pain and delaying or preventing future surgery. As a physical therapist, I have witnessed these benefits firsthand. Patients destined for the knife are able to delay and sometimes permanently postpone surgery through exercise.
In each case, I work with the patient to develop a comprehensive, long-term exercise plan to build the body’s resilience. In each case, I have to determine what type and how much exercise is needed.
A recent study looked at how little exercise can be used to ward off surgery.
The QUADX-1 trial
The QUADX-1 trial assessed whether home-based exercise therapy could prevent future knee surgery.
This is not the first trial attempting to prevent knee surgery through exercise. It is, however, the first to assess how much exercise is needed to prevent surgery.
The QUADX-1 trial divided participants into three groups. Each participant was deemed eligible for a knee replacement by an orthopedic surgeon due to knee osteoarthritis…
