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Although patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) can benefit from exercise programs (NEJM JW Gen Med Mar 18 2014), fewer than one third of primary care physicians recommend exercise for such patients, and most patients who participate in structured programs, such as physical therapy, abandon exercise after the programs end. In this study, researchers determined the effects of daily walking on risk for developing functional limitations in 1788 older U.S. adults (mean age, 67; 60% women; mean body-mass index, 30.7 kg/m2) with or at high risk for knee OA. At baseline, daily walking was measured using accelerometer-based devices worn on the ankle.
During a 2-year follow-up, patients who walked 5000 to 7499 steps daily had half the risk for develo…