Global studies have proven that regular exercise significantly helps relieve joint pain and improves knee and hip function in people with osteoarthritis.

People often accept stiffness in knees, hip, and joints as a natural part of aging. However, although osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease worldwide, experts believe its treatment and prevention remain far from scientific facts.

The best medicine is not found in a pill bottle or an operating room but in movement. Yet, in many countries and healthcare systems, patients rarely receive the only proven effective treatment to protect joints and reduce pain: exercise.

Exercise is one of the most effective treatments for chronic disabling conditions like osteoarthritis, yet very few patients receive it.

Research conducted in Ireland, the UK, Norway, and the US shows the same result: less than half of osteoarthritis patients are referred to exercise or physical therapy, while over 60% receive treatments not recommended by guidelines, and about 40% undergo surgery before trying any non-surgical option.

To understand why this is dangerous, we must know what movement does for joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting over 595 million people worldwide, according to a global study published in the British journal “The Lancet.”

Estimates suggest the number may approach one billion by 2050, driven by increased life expectancy, sedentary lifestyles, and rising obesity rates.

But people who exercise regularly provide themselves with physical and biological protection from the disease and its complications.

Cartilage covering the ends of bones is a strong protective layer but has no direct blood supply and depends on movement for nourishment. When we walk or bear weight on a joint, the cartilage is compressed, expelling fluid, then reabsorbs it loaded with nutrients and lubricants. Each step circulates these essential elements to maintain joint health.

For this reason, the old idea of “wear and tear” describing osteoarthritis is no longer accurate. Joints are not like car tires that wear out over time but living tissue undergoing continuous breakdown and repair that requires regular movement to maintain balance.

Today, osteoarthritis is understood as a disease affecting the entire joint, impacting cartilage, synovial fluid, subchondral bone, ligaments, muscles, and even nerves that support movement.

Therapeutic exercises target all these aspects. For example, muscle weakness is one of the earliest signs of osteoarthritis and can be improved with resistance training. Research shows that muscle weakness increases the risk of disease and accelerates its progression.

Nerves and muscle control can also be trained through neuromuscular exercise programs such as GLA:D (Good Life with Osteoarthritis in Denmark), designed for hip and knee patients.

These programs are usually delivered in group sessions supervised by physiotherapists, focusing on movement quality, balance, and strength to restore joint stability and confidence. Results have shown clear improvements in pain, joint function, and quality of life lasting up to 12 months after the program ends.

Exercise is a whole-body medicine, proven beneficial in more than 26 chronic diseases. In osteoarthritis, it helps strengthen muscles and cartilage, reduces inflammation, and regulates metabolism and hormones that drive disease worsening.

Obesity is a major risk factor, not only because it adds extra weight on joints but also because it raises levels of inflammatory molecules that weaken and accelerate cartilage damage.

Regular exercise works at the molecular level by lowering inflammation markers, reducing cell damage, and even causing positive changes in gene expression.

Currently, no drugs alter the course of osteoarthritis. Joint replacement surgery can be life-saving for some patients but is major surgery and not always successful.

Therefore, experts believe exercise should be the first step in treatment and continued through all disease stages as it is safe, effective, and offers comprehensive health benefits.

Osteoarthritis is not just a “worn-out” joint but a complex interaction between muscle strength, inflammation, metabolism, and lifestyle.

Regular, targeted exercise addresses these factors collectively, helping protect cartilage, strengthen joints, and improve overall health.