Jury out on exercise for hip OA

There is insufficient evidence to support exercise for decreasing pain, improving function or enhancing quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip joint, researchers from New Zealand report. There are few well-designed studies that have specifically investigated the management of hip osteoarthritis through the use of exercise therapy, despite evidence of its potential benefits for the management of knee osteoarthritis, the researchers noted in their systematic literature review published in Arthritis Research and Therapy. They identified six exercise intervention studies, involving a total of 356 patients with hip osteoarthritis, with only one study rated as "high quality." The interventions included hydrotherapy, leg swinging and mobility exercises; land-based swinging, mobility and stretching; strengthening exercises using fitness equipment or isometric contractions; gait exercises; and balance exercises. Among available studies, "Insufficient evidence was found to suggest that exercise therapy can be an effective short-term management approach for reducing pain levels, improving joint function and quality of life," the researchers said. Furthermore, in respect to intensity, volume and progression, the researchers said it was apparent that exercise programs in the studies examined did not meeting the current recommendations. They said that some of the exercise guidelines in the studies seemed rigorous even for those who were able bodied, and whether they could be realistically achieved by those individuals with osteoarthritis of the hip was “questionable.” "Due to the limited number of studies that compared different types of exercise, no conclusions could be drawn as to whether one type was more beneficial than others," they concluded....