New research shows that physical activity eases symptoms of knee OA, yet few exercise.
Fit pros can educate those that cope with knee osteoarthritis that while they may want to rest, physical activity will help them to manage their knee pain much better. A new study shows that 69% of people with knee pain had stronger unconscious beliefs that exercise was dangerous, when compared with the average person without pain.
A key takeaway from the study is that regardless of what people say, their deeper hidden beliefs are more likely to govern their choices. “This research suggests that to fully understand how someone feels about an activity, we must go beyond asking directly, because their implicit beliefs can sometimes be a better predictor of actual behavior than what people report. That’s where our tool is useful,” says lead study author Brian W. Pulling, PhD candidate, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
The study is available in PAIN.
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
