Progressive resistance training improves overall physical activity levels in patients with early osteoarthritis of the knee: A randomized controlled trial

293 patients with symptomatic, early-onset (<5 years) knee osteoarthritis (OA) were randomized to undergo either a structured resistance training (RT), a self-management program (SM), or a combination of both (RT+SM) for a 9 month period. Over 9 months it was found that the patients with early-onset knee OA were able to engage in RT without detraction from overall aerobic moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity. The RT group was found to maintain better long-term moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) levels over the SM group.