A new study reveals that appropriate exercise therapy can alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip as well as delay progression of the disease. For the randomized controlled study, physicians treated patients with hip OA according to the Tübinger Hüftkonzept (ThüKo, the Tübingen exercise approach), which is an exercise methodology that is a 12-week exercise therapy intervention. The patients were treated with this approach for 3 months.

Patients participated once weekly in an exercise group and performed an exercise program at home twice a week.

According to a Deutsches Aerzteblatt International news release, the chosen exercises were targeted towards proprioception, muscle strengthening, coordination training, and improved mobility. Following the exercise therapy program, pain symptoms of the patients were less pronounced and their joints were mobile.

Due to the positive results of the study, the authors recommend administering the ThüKo approach comprehensively in the context of treatment of patients with hip osteoarthritis, as indicated on the Deutsches Aerzteblatt International news release.

[Source: Deutsches Aerzteblatt International]