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Review
. 2022 Aug 24;19(17):10510.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph191710510.

Effectiveness of Exercise in Patients with Overweight or Obesity Suffering from Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Jose Manuel Jurado-Castro  1   2 , Mariano Muñoz-López  2 , Agustín Sánchez-Toledo Ledesma  3   4 , Antonio Ranchal-Sanchez  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Effectiveness of Exercise in Patients with Overweight or Obesity Suffering from Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Jose Manuel Jurado-Castro et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to review the evidence about the effectiveness of exercise in patients with overweight or obesity suffering from knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published between January 2002 and May 2022 were included.

Results: A total of 64 articles were identified, of which six met the criteria for meta-analysis. The pain scale score was higher in the control group (mean difference 0.95; confidence interval 0.42-1.47; p < 0.001; I2 = 44%). The physical function scale (lower scores indicate lower levels of symptoms or physical disability) presented a higher score in the control group (mean difference 3.74; confidence interval 0.85-6.53; p < 0.05; I2 = 56%). Moreover, the intervention group achieved a greater distance (meters) walking in a 6 min interval (mean difference 38.18; confidence interval 20.01-56.35; p < 0.001; I2 = 0%).

Conclusions: Exercise interventions seem effective in improving quality of life in people with overweight or obesity suffering from knee osteoarthritis, reducing pain and improving physical function.

Keywords: exercise; fall prevention; obesity; osteoarthritis; physical function.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram for the scientific paper selection from databases. RCTs, randomized controlled trials.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Risk of bias summary: review authors’ judgements about each risk of bias item for each included study ([26,27,28,29,30,31]).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects interventions on pain. CI, confidence interval. Note: lower scores indicate lower levels of pain ([26,28,29,30,31]).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effects of interventions on physical function. CI, confidence interval. Note: lower scores indicate lower levels of symptoms or physical disability ([26,27,28,29,30,31]).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effects of interventions on distance (meters) reached in the 6 min walk test. CI, confidence interval ([26,27,28]).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

The publication of this paper has been supported by “Instituto de Seguridad y Bienestar Laboral”, Cordoba, Spain.