Two Hours of Weekly Physical Activity Lowers Arthritis Discomfort and GP Visits, Research Shows

Patients suffering from aching joints who participate in 120 minutes of physical activity weekly experience reduced discomfort, visit their general practitioner less often, and take less absence from work, according to latest analysis.

Study Details and Approach

The conclusions come from an assessment of how forty thousand people with musculoskeletal discomfort in key joints responded to two one-hour fitness programs weekly for three months.

The impact on their daily living was so significant that it has generated demands for healthcare systems to make physical activity a standard component of management for millions experiencing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

Economic and Health Advantages

If the 3.7 million individuals with musculoskeletal discomfort but lacking a treatment program exercised for two hours weekly, then they, their families, healthcare systems, and the national economy would profit by as much as thirty-four billion pounds, researchers say.

The systematic activity regimen was analyzed by academic institutions, who assessed the free scheme provided to over 40,000 people with musculoskeletal issues across different areas.

Volunteers attended two one-hour workouts each week in fitness centers, supervised by rehabilitation specialists, and performed movements to enhance their movement capability, postural control, muscle power, and circulatory fitness.

Key Improvements Observed

• Showed on average 35% less aching

• Consulted their doctor significantly fewer times

• Required approximately half as many sick days

• Needed their relatives to care for them significantly less

"Tailored, systematic physical activity is among the most effective treatments for people with chronic issues. If exercise were a drug, it would be the most powerful therapy on the planet, yet it remains under-prescribed.

"Including it as a management strategy into mainstream healthcare would revolutionize patient outcomes on a magnitude no drug could accomplish", remarked a prominent healthcare expert.

Financial Impact Analysis

The research determined that if 184,000 of the 334,000 musculoskeletal sufferers engaged in the complimentary activity program, that would create £1.7 billion of "societal benefit".

Extending this to include the whole country would increase that figure to £34bn, the experts explained. This would be made up of £18 billion of benefits from improved health, £13 billion of value to family members and caregivers, a £3bn increase to the economy, and £230m in immediate cost reductions for medical systems.

Individual Gains

For instance, volunteers' health-related quality of life rose by 13%, which was estimated to be valued at a substantial amount in monetary value. Similarly, their drop in absenteeism was estimated to be equivalent to £501 while the 10% enhancement in their family's happiness levels was valued at £4,765.

Employment and Productivity Advantages

At the commencement of the joint pain programme, a quarter of those who joined the sessions were unemployed due to health, and by the completion of the three-month period, nearly 10% were able to go back to their jobs.

An research professor stated that the analysis revealed "the revolutionary impact of exercise" in managing discomfort among the 25 million Britons with multiple long-term health conditions and represents "a blueprint" for a nationwide scheme of healthcare-provided exercise.

Healthcare Service Recommendations

Medical services should "include systematic movement therapy in best practice guidance" and advise healthcare providers to direct appropriate individuals to them, the analysis said.

However, nonprofit leaders noted that while physical activity enhanced daily living for individuals with chronic pain, it was not the "complete answer" the study indicates; they could have difficulty fitting exercise into their lives and often faced "challenges in accessing effective treatment and assistance from medical services, prolonged periods to receive a medical assessment and absence of therapy choices".

Existing Initiatives

A six-week long discomfort management initiative of education, physical activity and individual control run by some medical authorities in England, called Escape Pain, which 15,000 individuals have participated in, has been shown to enhance wellbeing for individuals with arthritis and also reduce costs for medical services resources and funds.

Official Statement

A Department of Health official stated: "We understand that experiencing chronic pain can have a major influence on daily wellbeing. We will improve medical services by shifting attention from illness to wellness to help people fit and independent for longer through our 10-year health plan.

"We will also utilize the capability of innovative solutions which can help maintain individuals engaged. This encompasses ensuring all clients with long-term musculoskeletal issues have opportunity to wearable technology as part of their treatment, particularly in lower-income regions."