Exercise as medicine in hip osteoarthritis: an investigation of exercise type, muscle power and predictive factors (PhD Academy Award)

The primary aim of my PhD was to compare the effects of progressive resistance training (PRT) and neuromuscular exercise (NEMEX) on physical function, pain and hip-related quality of life in people with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Additionally, I sought to examine the relationship between changes in leg extensor muscle power and improvements in physical function, while also exploring predictive factors for better clinical outcomes following these exercise interventions. Hip OA is a leading cause of disability, and exercise is widely recommended as the first-line treatment to improve pain and physical function.1 However, the optimal type of exercise for hip OA remains unclear.2 Neuromuscular exercise, focusing on improving movement quality through exercises that resemble daily life activities, is widely implemented in clinical practice in Denmark and other countries.3 However, it has never been compared with another type of exercise for hip OA. Interestingly, muscle size, strength and power are markedly hampered …