The investigators also found that although the knee extensor mean strength was greater by a statistically significant amount in the high-intensity group than in the attention control group, it was not significantly greater than in the low-intensity group.
In the study, three knee replacements occurred, one in each group. Thirteen serious adverse events were reported during the study, but the external safety monitor determined these events were unrelated to the study. Also, the investigators documented a higher percentage of non-serious adverse events, such as body pain, falls and muscle strains, in the high- and low-intensity strength training groups than in the attention control group, but they did not feel these adverse events had a negative effect on continued participation in the study.
Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer based in the Chicago area.
Reference
- Messier SP, Mihalko SL, Beavers DP, et al. Effect of high-intensity strength training on knee pain and knee joint compressive forces among adults with knee osteoarthritis: The START randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2021 Feb 16;325(7):646–657.
