Take action in younger years to prevent knee osteoarthritis developing, suggests review

Osteoarthritis mainly affects older people but some experts believe that early life factors may contribute to its development in later years.

Scientists looked at the available evidence (publishing their review in Arthritis Research & Therapy) and found that:

• High body mass index and/or being overweight from childhood to adulthood were independently related to knee pain and osteoarthritis in later life;
• The research about strenuous exercise and knee structures in young adults is conflicting. But moderate physical activity and fitness seems to have a favourable impact on knee structures;
• Childhood physical activity benefited knee structures including knee cartilage in children and young adults;
• Anterior knee pain syndrome in adolescence could lead to the development of patellofemoral knee osteoarthritis in the late 40s;
• Some weak evidence suggests that childhood malalignment, socioeconomic status and physical abuse are associated with osteoarthritis in later life.

“The available evidence suggests that early life intervention may prevent osteoarthritis in later life,” the authors conclude.

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