Individuals who are living with arthritis often experience cartilage damage. Cartilage is a connective tissue that functions as a cushion between the bones of joints. When cartilage damage occurs as a result of arthritis, that cushion disappears, often causing joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent the destruction of cartilage caused by osteoarthritis. A recently published study revealed that exercise may be the key to preventing cartilage damage.
How Exercise Can Prevent Cartilage Damage
The study revealed that exercise causes the cells in one’s joints to experience mechanical forces that help to suppress the action of inflammatory molecules, which is what leads to osteoarthritis. When a person exercises, the cartilage in their joints are squashed. This mechanical distortion is identified by living cells within the cartilage. These cells block the action of inflammatory molecules as a result.
The study revealed that the anti-inflammatory effect caused by exercise is the result of the activation of HDAC6, which is a type of protein. When the HDAC6 is activated, it triggers a change in the proteins that form the primary cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures found on living cells. While there are certain pharmaceutical drugs that block the activation of HDAC6, thereby preventing the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise, there are other treatments available that can have the opposite effect, thereby mimicking the positive effects of exercise.
Anyone living with arthritis should exercise as a way to prevent their cartilage from degenerating, as this recent study, which was published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, has shown. The study also backs the fact that exercise has anti-inflammatory effects on the arteries’ normal blood flow, helping to prevent arterial diseases, including aneurysms and atherosclerosis.
The results of the recently published study suggest that a new therapeutic approach called mechano-medicine could help treat conditions such as arthritis. Mechano-medicine would involve the use of drugs that simulate the effect of physical activity to help prevent cartilage damage. For all the latest information about advances in arthritis treatment or for health news in general, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.
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