The value of individual or collective group exercise programs for knee or hip osteoarthritis. Clinical practice recommendations

Abstract

Objective: To develop clinical practice guidelines concerning individual and group exercise therapy for knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA).

Method: We used the SOFMER (French Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Society) methodology, combining systematic literature review, collection of everyday clinical practice, and external review by a multidisciplinary expert panel, to develop the guidelines.

Results: Physical exercises are proposed for knee and hip OA. The benefit of individual exercises is low to moderate for pain, strength and ability to walk. The effectiveness is not maintained over time if the individual exercise program is not continued. The benefit of group exercise is also low to moderate for pain, strength, balance and ability to walk. There is no evidence of the superiority of one modality over the other (individual or group).

Conclusion: More randomised controlled trials with good methodology are needed to compare the effectiveness of individual versus group exercise therapy for knee and hip OA.