Effect of Exercise and Weight Loss in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis Who Are Overweight or Obese: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder in the world and is recognized as a substantial source of disability. For patients with OA of the knee, exercise in combination with weight loss is a proven effective conservative treatment option, yet evidence is lacking for patients with hip OA. Objective To obtain preliminary evidence of the effect on physical function of a combined exercise and weight-loss program in patients with hip OA who are overweight/obese. Design Prospective cohort study. Methods Thirty-five patients aged 25 years or older, with clinical and radiological evidence of hip OA who were overweight/obese (BMI > 25 kg/m2) were included. The patients participated in an 8-month exercise and weight-loss combination program. A BMI of 40 kg/m2 was used as upper limit. Primary outcome was self-reported physical functioning, as measured with a subscale of the WOMAC. Secondary outcome measures included pain and walking tests as objective measurements of function. Results Participation in the combination program resulted in a 32.6% improvement of self-reported physical function after 8 months, which can be considered clinically relevant. Significant improvements were also seen in pain and on walking tests. Limitations Lack of control group. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the effect of exercise and weight loss as a combination treatment in hip OA patients. The results provide preliminary evidence that this combination is effective in hip OA patients.