ArcaMax

Every step you take on level ground puts pressure on your knees that is equal to 1.5 times your body weight. Weigh 200 pounds? That means you're pounding your knees with 300 pounds of pressure with each stride. And some studies estimate that the typical adult takes around 2.5 million steps a year. No wonder that about a quarter of all folks age 18 and older have knee pain and that it accounts for almost 4 million doctor visits annually.

So, it's good news that a study in PLOS One reveals that non-drug therapies, like knee-bracing and hydrotherapy, reduce Knee Osteoarthritis pain and increase mobility without the side effects associated with pain meds. And they outperform high-tech options like ultrasound.

After studying 139 clinical trials involving more than 10,000 patients that compared 12 non-drug treatments, the researchers found that knee braces were best for reducing pain, improving function, and relieving stiffness. Water-based exercise was good at easing pain and general exercise was also consistently effective, improving both pain and physical function. What didn't work so well? High-intensity laser therapy and shock wave therapy were only sometimes beneficial and ultrasound consistently scored the lowest in effectiveness.

For more information of lifestyle adjustments that tamp down inflammation and pain, check out my book, "The Great Age Reboot." Bonus: One innovative therapy -- not examined in that study -- is therapeutic plasma exchange. When used in folks with multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, it eases inflammation and pain, and can also ease pain from osteoarthritis. Check out LifespanEdge.com for more insights.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.longevityplaybook.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@longevityplaybook.com.

(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.