Activité physique dans l’arthrose

Physical activity is defined as movement of the body resulting from muscle contraction and inducing energy expenditure. It can be adapted to a person's health status and have the objective of maintaining or improving health status. The link between sedentary lifestyle and the severity of symptoms in osteoarthritis is now well established, making adapted physical activity (APA) a first-line targeted treatment in osteoarthritis, in order to fight against the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, regardless of the phenotype or stage of the disease. The latest recommendations from EULAR, ACR and OARSI place APA, in the form of structured exercise programs for muscle strengthening, joint mobility, proprioception and aerobic work, as the core treatment for people with osteoarthritis. The benefits of APA in reducing pain and activity limitations, in the short, mid and long terms, in osteoarthritis, especially of the lower limbs, has been demonstrated in high-level clinical trials and meta-analyses, with effect-sizes comparable to those observed with pharmacological treatments. In clinical practice, the prescription of APA in people with osteoarthritis should still be encouraged. Particular attention should also be paid to patients’ adherence at long term.