According to the latest post on Sciencealert, a research group led by researcher Tim Schleimer has compiled data from more than 100 studies with more than 13,000 patients to assess the impact of exercise. The results showed that exercise helps reduce pain at a mild level, about 6 to 12 points on a 100-point scale compared to non-treatment. This effect is equivalent to some pain relievers such as ibuprofen or corticosteroid injections.
Exercise does not show a significant improvement in motor function compared to other methods compared. In severe cases, joint replacement surgery is still more effective.
Experts note that the results of this study still need to be viewed cautiously by readers. Because combining many different types of exercises can distort the assessment, while the actual effectiveness depends on the type, intensity and training time. Guided and long-term maintenance programs often bring better benefits.
In addition, the study did not take into account the differences between each patient. People with severe pain often feel changes better than people with mild pain.
Although the pain relief effect is not too great, exercise still brings many significant benefits. Reducing pain by about 10% can improve mobility and daily activities. Exercise also helps strengthen cardiovascular health, improve morale, control weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Experts recommend maintaining about 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. The most important thing is to choose a suitable form that can be maintained for a long time such as walking, gym or light exercises.
