Latest news with #ValentinaMazzoli
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Changing the way you walk could help knee arthritis and delay surgery
A new study has suggested that changing the angle of your foot while walking could ease arthritis pain in the knee. Around 10 million people in the UK have arthritis, with 5.4 million of them being affected specifically in their knees, according to Versus Arthritis. But a new study has suggested an odd method for easing the pain of knee arthritis - changing the way you walk. Arthritis is an incurable disease in which the cartilage cushion inside a joint breaks down, causing pain and inflammation. But the new findings from the universities of Utah and Stanford and NYU suggest that adjusting the angle of the foot while walking may not only ease pain, but slow down the progression of the condition and even delay surgery. The new study explored whether slightly changing the way arthritis patients position their feet when walking could diminish stress on the joint in order to lessen the symptoms of the disease. The researchers tested their theory on 68 men and women with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, before using advanced MRI scans to track how well it worked. Results, published on August 12 in The Lancet Rheumatology showed that those trained to angle their feet slightly inward or outward from their natural alignment experienced slower cartilage degeneration in the inner part of their knee, compared with those who were encouraged to walk more frequently without changing their foot position. The scientists believe that their findings, if researched further, could even lead to a delay in the need for surgery. And this could save a lot of pain and hassle for those with arthritis, as the earlier patients receive a knee replacement, the more likely they will require more procedures in the future. The findings also revealed that patients who adjusted their foot angle reduced their pain score by 2.5 points on a 10-point scale- the same effect that over-the-counter pain medications can have on arthritis symptoms. But while patients who adjusted the way they walked saw a decrease in pain, those who did not change their gait reduced their pain scores by little more than a point. Co-lead author on the study, Valentina Mazzoli, PhD said: "Although our results will have to be confirmed in future studies, they raise possibility that the new, noninvasive treatment could help delay surgery. "Altogether, our findings suggest that helping patients find their best foot angle to reduce stress on their knees may offer an easy and fairly inexpensive way to address early-stage osteoarthritis. "These results highlight the importance of personalising treatment instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to osteoarthritis. "While this strategy may sound challenging, recent advances in detecting the motion of different body parts using artificial intelligence may make it easier and faster than ever before.' The scientist added that this inexpensive physical technique may have a significant advantage over pharmaceutical painkillers, which may temporarily relieve symptoms but do not address the underlying disease, and can also cause liver and kidney damage, stomach ulcers, and other unwanted side effects when taken for long periods. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Study reveals how a small change in your walking style can relieve knee osteoarthritis
Image credits: Getty Images Knee osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage in the knee joint breaks down, causing the bones to rub together. This leads to friction and thus, pain and swelling. According to the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis affecting 32.5 million US adults. Now, a study published in The Lancet Rheumatology on August 12th, revealed that slightly changing your walking style could considerably ease the pain caused by knee osteoarthritis. People trained to angle their feet in a slightly inward or outward position from their natural alignment experienced slower degeneration of the cartilage cushion inside their knees, showed the results. People also reported greater reductions in knee pain and better knee function a year later, said researchers. 'Altogether, our findings suggest that helping patients find their best foot angle to reduce stress on their knees may offer an easy and fairly inexpensive way to address early-stage osteoarthritis,' said Valentina Mazzoli, co-lead researcher and assistant professor of radiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. The enlightening study Image credits: Getty Images For the study, researchers recruited 68 people with knee osteoarthritis and recorded their gait while walking on a treadmill. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo A computer program simulated their walking patterns and calculated the maximum stress they placed on their knees. The team also generated computer models of four new foot positions angled inward or outward by 5 or 10 degrees and estimated which would be best to reduce stress on each person's knees. Then, the participants were divided into 2 groups with half being trained in six sessions to walk with a foot angle ideal for them and the other half continuing walking normally. The results revealed that those who adjusted their gait reduced maximum loading in their knees by 4% while those who kept their walking style increased the load by 3%. Additionally, those taught a new foot position also experienced a 2.5 point reduction on a 10-point pain scale, equivalent to over-the-counter painkillers such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen, said the researchers. 'These results highlight the importance of personalizing treatment instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to osteoarthritis,' Mazzoli said. 'While this strategy may sound challenging, recent advances in detecting the motion of different body parts using artificial intelligence may make it easier and faster than ever before.'
