Is exercise good for your joints?

There have been many studies done on the positive effects of exercise in prevention of knee osteoarthritis.  However, how exercise actually affects specific structures of the knee joint is not known.  Urquhart DM et al. recently studied this in a systematic review of evidence of key articles on the topic.  What they found: Although physical activity is associated with increased production of tibiofemoral osteophytes, knee joint space narrowing did not tend to increase. In fact, evidence suggests an increase in cartilage volume and decrease in cartilage defects on MRI.  The results from this review reiterate the importance of exercise; especially to maintain knee joint health.  Consult your physical therapist for a physical activity routine that is safe, individualized, and structured to your knee, injury, and body! Follow the above hyperlinked thread to access the full article. Written by guest contributor Kristine Gneiss, SPT.