Essential
- Yoga and muscle strengthening exercises have reduced the knee pain of patients with osteoarthritis, with no major major significant difference.
- Yoga showed modest improvements, especially concerning knee pain, quality of life and depression.
- Researchers conclude that the integration of yoga as a complementary therapy of knee osteoarthritis can be interesting.
When our joints are painful, we want to stay in bed or in the sofa. But, this is completely counterproductive. Indeed, all health professionals agree that physical exercise is the first treatment of osteoarthritis, allowing to reduce pain and regain ease in movements. The whole thing is … to choose an adapted activity.
Yoga and muscle strengthening exercises are among the recommended activities. However, researchers from the University of Tasmania wanted to determine which of the two was the most effective against pain. Conclusion: not really a winner, but yoga can be recommended to patients without fear, according to the review JAMAApril 8, 2025.
Knee and pain osteo: yoga as effective as muscle strengthening
To answer their question, scientists brought together 117 people with knee osteoarthritis. Half of them joined a yoga program while the others were offered muscle strengthening exercises.
The participants had two group lessons led by professionals and one home session per week for 12 weeks. During the next 12, they had to carry out 3 weekly sessions at home alone. Tests evaluating their level of pain, stiffness, walking speed, capacity and quality of life were carried out throughout the experience. Depressive symptoms were also raised.
Result: yoga and strengthening exercises have both reduced patients’ knee pain in 12 weeks, without significant difference between them. On the other hand, after 5.5 months of sessions, the people of the Yoga group presented slightly greater improvements concerning pain, stiffness, walking time, depression, overall well-being and quality of life.
Knee osteoarthritis: yoga can be offered in complementary therapy
The comparison between the two physical activities does not reveal an overwhelming winner. However, researchers note that the various improvements observed with yoga at the end of 24 weeks, especially on quality of life, depression or stiffness, are interesting.
“These results suggest that the integration of yoga as an alternative or complementary exercise in clinical practice could help manage osteoarthritis of the knee”conclude the authors in their article.
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