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जोड़ों के स्वास्थ्य के लिए सक्रिय रहना
Why physical activity protects joints and tendons, how exercise helps osteoarthritis and recovery, and how to stay active safely.
यह क्या है¶
जोड़ों के स्वास्थ्य के लिए सक्रिय रहने का मतलब है कि अपने जोड़ों, मांसपेशियों और सामान्य स्वास्थ्य को अच्छी तरह से काम करने के लिए अपने शरीर को नियमित रूप से स्थानांतरित करना। इसमें पैदल चलने और तैरने से लेकर व्यवस्थित व्यायाम कार्यक्रमों तक सब कुछ शामिल है। आपको एथलीट होने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। हर दिन की चाल मायने रखती है।
इस पद्धति का उपयोग सभी उम्र के लोगों के लिए किया जाता है। 6-17 वर्ष की आयु के बच्चे और किशोर जो मध्यम से तीव्र गतिविधि में भाग लेते हैं, उन्हें स्वास्थ्य लाभ की एक श्रृंखला मिलती है [1]. जो बुजुर्ग चलते-फिरते रहते हैं, उनका समग्र स्वास्थ्य भी बेहतर होता है [2]. यदि आपको जोड़ों में दर्द या गठिया है, तो आपका डॉक्टर आपके साथ आपकी देखभाल के हिस्से के रूप में सक्रिय रहने के बारे में बात कर सकता है।
विचार सरल है: जोड़ों और मांसपेशियों को गति के प्रति प्रतिक्रिया होती है। हल्की गतिविधि, जैसे कि धीरे-धीरे चलना या घर के चारों ओर घूमना, अधिकांश ऊर्जा लोगों को दैनिक आंदोलन के माध्यम से जलाता है, और यह शुरू करने के लिए एक आसान जगह है [3]. गतिविधि में थोड़ी वृद्धि भी निष्क्रिय वयस्कों को दीर्घकालिक स्थितियों की एक श्रृंखला से बचा सकती है [4]. दिन में लगभग 30 से 40 मिनट की मध्यम से तीव्र गतिविधि भी लंबे समय तक बैठने से जुड़े कुछ स्वास्थ्य जोखिमों की भरपाई कर सकती है [5].
इस बात के बहुत कम सबूत हैं कि सक्रिय होने से महत्वपूर्ण नुकसान होता है, और लाभ आम तौर पर जोखिमों से अधिक होते हैं [6]. कुछ कार्यक्रमों ने लोगों को इसके साथ बने रहने में भी मदद की है। एक कार्यस्थल कार्यक्रम में, 85.6% प्रतिभागी जो निष्क्रिय रूप से शुरू हुए थे, अनुवर्ती पर अनुशंसित गतिविधि स्तरों को पूरा कर रहे थे [7]. रखरखाव कार्यक्रम आपको आगे बढ़ने और अपने शारीरिक कार्य और जीवन की गुणवत्ता में सुधार करने में भी मदद कर सकते हैं [8].
यदि आप सुनिश्चित नहीं हैं कि कहां से शुरू करें, तो आपका डॉक्टर या फिजियोथेरेपिस्ट आपको ऐसी गतिविधियाँ खोजने में मदद कर सकता है जो आपके जोड़ों और आपके जीवन के अनुकूल हों।
क्या यह काम करता है?¶
ईमानदार जवाब यह है कि सक्रिय रहना कई चीजों में मदद करता है, लेकिन सबूत हर जगह सही नहीं है। आपके सामान्य स्वास्थ्य के लिए, बड़ी समीक्षाओं ने नियमित गतिविधि को मनोभ्रंश विकसित करने की कम संभावना के साथ जोड़ा है, जिसमें अल्जाइमर रोग और संवहनी मनोभ्रंश शामिल हैं [1]. व्यायाम चिकित्सा भी अस्पताल में भर्ती होने और निमोनिया जैसी गंभीर समस्याओं के जोखिम को कम करने के लिए दिखाया गया है [2]. टाइप 2 मधुमेह के लिए, लाभ देखने के लिए आवश्यक न्यूनतम या अधिकतम गतिविधि की मात्रा नहीं हो सकती है [3].
विशेष रूप से जोड़ों के लिए, चित्र अधिक मिश्रित है। घुटने की कुछ स्थितियों में, व्यायाम कार्यक्रम जो व्यायाम के दौरान थोड़ी असुविधा की अनुमति देते हैं, उन लोगों की तुलना में अल्पावधि में थोड़ा बेहतर काम करते हैं जो आपको दर्द से मुक्त रखते हैं [4]. घुटने में दर्द वाले किशोरों के लिए, व्यायाम कुछ मदद करता है, लेकिन सभी नहीं, और कार्यक्रम से चिपके रहना एक वास्तविक चुनौती है [5]. जो लोग सप्ताह में तीन बार या उससे अधिक समय तक घर पर व्यायाम करते थे, उनके 12 महीने के बाद ठीक होने की संभावना चार गुना अधिक थी [5].
कुछ सबूत आपकी उम्मीद से कमज़ोर हैं। अच्छे यादृच्छिक परीक्षण यह साबित करने में सक्षम नहीं हुए हैं कि सक्रिय होने से आपके मरने का जोखिम सीधे कम हो जाता है, भले ही गतिविधि कई अन्य तरीकों से बेहतर स्वास्थ्य से जुड़ी हो [6]. हल्की गतिविधि जैसे धीरे चलना और हृदय और चयापचय स्वास्थ्य पर इसके प्रभाव के लिए, अनुसंधान आधार अभी भी छोटा है और पूरी तरह से सुसंगत नहीं है [7].
आपके लिए इसका क्या अर्थ है? अधिक स्थानांतरण वास्तविक लाभों से जुड़ा हुआ है, और नुकसान का बहुत कम संकेत है। लेकिन परिणाम एक व्यक्ति से दूसरे व्यक्ति में भिन्न होते हैं, और सबसे बड़ी चुनौती अक्सर सही कार्यक्रम चुनने के बजाय इसे बनाए रखना है। आपका डॉक्टर या फिजियोथेरेपिस्ट आपको कुछ ऐसा ढूंढने में मदद कर सकता है जिसके साथ आप चिपके रह सकते हैं, क्योंकि नियमित रूप से कुछ करना थोड़े समय के लिए कुछ तीव्रता से करने से अधिक महत्वपूर्ण है।
जोखिम क्या हैं?¶
ज़्यादातर लोगों के लिए, सक्रिय रहने का मुख्य ख़तरा थोड़ा बहुत, बहुत जल्दी करना है। आपके जोड़ों और मांसपेशियों में कुछ समय के लिए सामान्य से अधिक दर्द हो सकता है जब आप कोई गतिविधि शुरू करते हैं या बढ़ाते हैं। कुछ व्यायाम कार्यक्रम आपको अभ्यास के दौरान कुछ असुविधा महसूस करने के लिए डिज़ाइन किए गए हैं, और परीक्षणों ने पाया कि यह आपको दर्द मुक्त रखने वाले कार्यक्रमों पर एक छोटा लेकिन वास्तविक अल्पकालिक लाभ देता है [1]. यह तेज दर्द या दर्द से अलग है जो लगातार बढ़ता रहता है, जो कि आराम करने और अपने डॉक्टर या फिजियोथेरेपिस्ट से जांच करने का संकेत है।
चोट लगने का भी खतरा है यदि आप अपने शरीर के तैयार होने से अधिक दबाव डालते हैं। इस पर साक्ष्य सीमित है, लेकिन सामुदायिक फुटबॉल खिलाड़ियों ने खुद सुझाव दिया कि प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रमों में फिटनेस के साथ-साथ चोट की रोकथाम कार्य भी शामिल होना चाहिए। [2]. कोच हमेशा इन कार्यक्रमों को वितरित नहीं करते हैं, जो कम अनुपालन और चोटों को रोकने में सीमित सफलता का कारण बन सकता है [3]. यदि आप एक कार्यक्रम का पालन कर रहे हैं, तो इसे निर्धारित मामलों के अनुसार करें।
कई लोगों के लिए सबसे बड़ा जोखिम इसके विपरीत है: कुछ नहीं करना। निष्क्रियता के अपने जोखिम होते हैं। बड़े अध्ययनों ने उच्च गतिविधि के स्तर को सभी कारणों से और हृदय रोग से मृत्यु दर में कमी के साथ जोड़ा है [4]. हर दिन लंबे समय तक बैठना भी खराब स्वास्थ्य परिणामों से जुड़ा हुआ है, और दिन में लगभग 30-40 मिनट की मध्यम से तीव्र गतिविधि उस जोखिम के कुछ हिस्से को कम कर सकती है [5].
एक ईमानदार सीमा: गतिविधि और उम्र बढ़ने पर अधिकांश साक्ष्य अपेक्षाकृत स्वस्थ समुदाय-निवास करने वाले पुराने वयस्कों के अध्ययन से आते हैं [6]. यदि आपके पास अन्य स्वास्थ्य स्थितियां हैं, तो तस्वीर कम स्पष्ट हो सकती है। आपका डॉक्टर आपको यह तय करने में मदद कर सकता है कि आपकी स्थिति के लिए क्या सुरक्षित है।
क्या यह आपके लिए सही है?¶
सक्रिय रहना लगभग हर किसी के लिए विचार करने लायक विकल्प है, चाहे आपकी उम्र या फिटनेस का स्तर कुछ भी हो। 2018 के अमेरिकी शारीरिक गतिविधि दिशानिर्देश मानते हैं कि स्वास्थ्य के लिए शारीरिक गतिविधि की कोई भी घटना मायने रखती है [1], इसलिए आपको लाभ देखना शुरू करने के लिए एक सख्त लक्ष्य को पूरा करने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। यदि आपको जोड़ों में दर्द या गठिया है, तो आपका डॉक्टर आपको यह तय करने में मदद कर सकता है कि आपकी स्थिति के लिए क्या सुरक्षित है।
कुछ लोगों को इसका लाभ उठाना मुश्किल हो सकता है। गतिविधि और वृद्धावस्था पर अधिकांश साक्ष्य अपेक्षाकृत स्वस्थ समुदाय-निवास करने वाले वृद्ध वयस्कों पर किए गए अध्ययनों से आते हैं [2], इसलिए यदि आपके पास अन्य स्वास्थ्य स्थितियां हैं, तो चित्र कम स्पष्ट हो सकता है। आपका डॉक्टर आपको इसका मूल्यांकन करने में मदद कर सकता है।
अन्य दृष्टिकोणों की तुलना में, सक्रिय रहना उपचार का प्रतिस्थापन नहीं है बल्कि इसके साथ काम करता है। व्यायाम कार्यक्रम जो व्यायाम के दौरान कुछ असुविधा की अनुमति देते हैं, वे क्रोनिक मस्कुलोस्केलेटल दर्द के लिए दर्द-मुक्त कार्यक्रमों पर एक छोटा लेकिन वास्तविक अल्पकालिक लाभ देते हैं। [3], इसलिए आपका डॉक्टर आपसे इस बारे में बात कर सकता है.
यह आपके डॉक्टर के साथ साझा निर्णय होना चाहिए। वे आपको ऐसी गतिविधियाँ खोजने में मदद कर सकते हैं जो आपके जोड़ों और आपके जीवन के अनुकूल हों, और यह समझने के लिए ऊपर दिए गए जोखिम अनुभाग का संदर्भ लें कि क्या देखना है।
निचली रेखा¶
सक्रिय रहना लगभग हर किसी के लिए विचार करने लायक है, और रोजमर्रा की गतिशीलता संगठित व्यायाम के रूप में मायने रखती है। यथार्थवादी अपेक्षा एक त्वरित सुधार के बजाय नियमित आंदोलन से निरंतर लाभ है, और सबसे कठिन हिस्सा आमतौर पर इसे बनाए रखने के बजाय सही कार्यक्रम ढूंढ रहा है। एकमात्र सबसे महत्वपूर्ण चेतावनी: यदि आपके पास अन्य स्वास्थ्य स्थितियां हैं, तो अधिकांश सबूत अपेक्षाकृत स्वस्थ पुराने वयस्कों में अध्ययन से आते हैं [1], इसलिए शुरू करने से पहले अपने डॉक्टर या फिजियोथेरेपिस्ट से पूछें कि आपके जोड़ों और आपकी स्थिति के लिए क्या सुरक्षित है।
संदर्भ¶
[1] चीनी बच्चों और किशोरों में शारीरिक गतिविधि और स्वास्थ्य: विशेषज्ञ आम सहमति वक्तव्य (2020). ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन. 2020 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2020-102261
[2] बाद के जीवन में शारीरिक गतिविधि शुरू करना और स्वस्थ उम्र बढ़नेः उम्र बढ़ने का अंग्रेजी अनुदैर्ध्य अध्ययन। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन2013 में। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092993
[3] सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य के लिए प्रकाश-तीव्रता शारीरिक गतिविधि की क्षमता को अनलॉक करना: अनुसंधान के लिए कार्रवाई का आह्वान। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन२०२६। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2025-111179
[4] गैर-व्यावसायिक शारीरिक गतिविधि और हृदय रोग, कैंसर और मृत्यु दर के जोखिम परिणामः बड़े संभावित अध्ययनों का एक खुराक-प्रतिक्रिया मेटा-विश्लेषण। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन. 2023. डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105669
[5] एक्सेलेरोमीटर द्वारा मापी गई शारीरिक गतिविधि और सभी कारणों से मृत्यु दर के साथ गतिहीन समय के संयुक्त संघः 44000 से अधिक मध्यम आयु वर्ग और वृद्ध व्यक्तियों में एक समन्वित मेटा-विश्लेषण। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन. 2020 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103270
[6] मजबूत, स्थिर और सीधाः ऑस्टियोपोरोसिस के लिए शारीरिक गतिविधि और व्यायाम पर यूके आम सहमति बयान। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन2022 तक। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104634
[7] उज्ज्वल स्थान, शारीरिक गतिविधि निवेश जो काम करते हैं: कार्यस्थल चुनौती। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2017 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097716
[8] पुरानी स्थितियों के लिए व्यायाम चिकित्सा के बाद शारीरिक गतिविधि को बढ़ावा देने वाले रखरखाव हस्तक्षेप की प्रभावकारिताः एक छाता समीक्षा। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन२०२६। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110444
[9] मनोभ्रंश और अल्जाइमर रोग के लिए एक सुरक्षात्मक कारक के रूप में शारीरिक गतिविधिः व्यवस्थित समीक्षा, मेटा-विश्लेषण और कोहोर्ट और केस-कंट्रोल अध्ययनों के गुणवत्ता मूल्यांकन। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन2022 तक। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104981
[10] इन्फोग्राफिक। मल्टीमोर्बिडिटी वाले लोगों में व्यायाम चिकित्सा के लाभ और नुकसान ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन. 2021 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2021-104367
[11] त्वरक-मापी गई तीव्रता-विशिष्ट शारीरिक गतिविधि, आनुवांशिक जोखिम और घटना प्रकार 2 मधुमेहः एक संभावित समूह अध्ययन। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन. 2023. डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106653
[12] क्या क्रोनिक मस्कुलोस्केलेटल दर्द के प्रबंधन में व्यायाम दर्दनाक होना चाहिए? एक व्यवस्थित समीक्षा और मेटा-विश्लेषण। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2017 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2016-097383
[13] चौथे अंतर्राष्ट्रीय पटेलोफेमोरल पेन रिसर्च रिट्रीट, मैनचेस्टर से 2016 पटेलोफेमोरल पेन सर्वसम्मति बयान। भाग 2: अनुशंसित शारीरिक हस्तक्षेप (कसरत, टेपिंग, ब्रेसिंग, पैर ऑर्थोसेस और संयुक्त हस्तक्षेप) ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2016 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096268
[14] शारीरिक गतिविधि और दीर्घायु: कारण-निष्कर्ष के करीब कैसे जाएं। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2018 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098995
[15] प्रकाश-तीव्रता वाली शारीरिक गतिविधि वयस्क हृदय-चयापचय स्वास्थ्य और मृत्यु दर से कैसे जुड़ी है? प्रयोगात्मक और अवलोकन संबंधी अध्ययनों के मेटा-विश्लेषण के साथ व्यवस्थित समीक्षा। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2018 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097563
[16] सामुदायिक फुटबॉल खिलाड़ी विभिन्न व्यायाम-प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रमों के बारे में क्या सोचते हैं? निचले अंगों की चोटों की रोकथाम कार्यक्रमों के वितरण के लिए निहितार्थ ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन2013 में। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092816
[17] सामुदायिक फुटबॉल में कोच-नेतृत्व वाले व्यायाम प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रम की पहुंच और गोद लेना। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन2013 में। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091797
[18] शारीरिक गतिविधि के प्रक्षेपवक्र और वयस्कता के दौरान संचय और सभी कारणों और कारण-विशिष्ट मृत्यु दर के साथ उनके संबंधः एक व्यवस्थित समीक्षा और मेटा-विश्लेषण। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन2025 तक। डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2024-109122
[19] कोपेनहेगन आम सहमति वक्तव्य 2019: शारीरिक गतिविधि और उम्र बढ़ने। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2019 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2018-100451
[20] 2018 के अमेरिकी शारीरिक गतिविधि दिशानिर्देशों में लघु और छिटपुट दौरेः क्या उच्च तीव्रता वाली आकस्मिक शारीरिक गतिविधि नई HIIT है? ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिनवर्ष 2019 डीओआईः 10.1136/bjsports-2018-100397
Evidence & references
This is the clinical evidence summary written for health professionals. It is technical, and it lists the research this page was built from. You do not need to read it to understand your treatment or to make a decision about it.
Overview¶
- There is little evidence that physical activity is associated with significant harm [1].
- The benefits of physical activity, in general, outweigh the risks [1].
- Maintenance interventions may help people continue to be physically active [2].
- Maintenance interventions may improve physical function and health-related quality of life [2].
- The 2018 US physical activity guidelines recognised that any bouts of physical activity count for health [3].
- ISPAH's Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity provides a summary of eight areas for action supported by scientific evidence [4].
- ISPAH's Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity has worldwide applicability [4].
- In children and adolescents aged 6-17, participating in moderate to vigorous physical activities led to multiple positive health outcomes [5].
- The 2020 WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour update previous WHO recommendations released in 2010 [9].
- About 15 times more physical activity of at least moderate intensity is needed to achieve similar results regarding incident cardiovascular disease [17].
- RCTs have failed to provide conclusive evidence that physical activity causes a reduced risk of death [18].
- Changes to physical activity guidelines, such as removal of a 10-min bout criterion, pose challenges for physical activity surveillance [44].
- At follow-up, 65.0% of inactive participants were taking part in sport [46].
- At follow-up, 85.6% of inactive participants were meeting recommended MVPA guidelines [46].
- Most differences in functional outcomes from scapular exercise programs did not reach the minimum threshold to be considered clinically important [48].
- Individuals not achieving the WHO guideline for physical activity showed an elevated risk of cancer, even if they were abdominally lean [49].
- The hazard ratio for elevated cancer risk in individuals not achieving the WHO guideline for physical activity, even if abdominally lean, was 1.04 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.07) [49].
How It Works¶
- There is little evidence that physical activity is associated with significant harm, and the benefits generally outweigh the risks [1].
- Maintenance interventions may help people continue to be physically active and improve physical function and health-related quality of life [2].
- ISPAH's Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity provides a summary of eight areas for action that are supported by scientific evidence and have worldwide applicability [4].
- Light-intensity physical activity accounts for the majority of physical activity energy expenditure (51–59%) [6].
- Sustained physical activity in older age is associated with improved overall health [7].
- Exercise interventions implemented at ≤12 weeks after total knee arthroplasty primarily improved functional performance [10].
- Exercise interventions lasting >12 weeks after total knee arthroplasty resulted in greater gains in muscle strength and joint flexibility [10].
- The proportion of participants meeting health-enhancing physical activity recommendations increased from 33.1% to 42.3% between baseline and first follow-up in the Allez Hop programme [12].
- The addition of wearable activity tracker use did not have any effect on perceived joint function or health-related quality of life in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis [14].
- Aquatic exercise appears to provide meaningful pain relief for musculoskeletal disorders, with benefits that may persist during follow-up [15].
- Moderate treadmill exercise following an initial period of short-term immobilization has a positive impact on tendon-bone interface healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a murine model [19].
- Prolonged immobilization has a detrimental effect on physical recovery after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a murine model [19].
- Small increases in non-occupational physical activity in inactive adults are associated with substantial protection against a range of chronic disease outcomes [20].
- The ProPASS consortium aims to produce evidence on the associations of physical activity, sitting, and sleep with long-term health outcomes and longevity [21].
- Consensus statements outline approaches that may identify determinants and modifiers of cardiorespiratory fitness exercise response [22].
- Not all daily metabolic equivalent task units (METs) are the same in their health benefits [23].
- Pain science education may act as a mechanism of action for exercise interventions for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis [25].
- Pain science education is less successful when delivered standalone for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis [25].
- Findings question whether total hip arthroplasty should be prioritized only for patients with severe hip osteoarthritis symptoms [26].
- Pain is modulated by many factors, and the relationship between pain and tissue becomes less predictable the longer pain persists [27].
What the Evidence Shows¶
- There is little evidence that physical activity is associated with significant harm, and the benefits, in general, outweigh the risks [1].
- There is moderate certainty evidence that fall prevention exercise programmes are likely to be cost-effective [11].
- Much of the evidence regarding physical activity and ageing is based on longitudinal associations from observational and randomised controlled intervention studies, as well as quantitative and qualitative social studies in relatively healthy community-dwelling older adults [13].
- Participants in the NMC programme found it to be less physically challenging but more enjoyable and potentially of more benefit compared with control players [16].
- About 15 times more physical activity of at least moderate intensity is needed to achieve similar results regarding the joint associations of device-measured physical activity and abdominal obesity with incident cardiovascular disease [17].
- Randomised controlled trials have failed to provide conclusive evidence that physical activity causes a reduced risk of death [18].
- Exercise may improve pain and function in knee osteoarthritis with low to moderate certainty, but it is uncertain whether differences are clinically important [29].
- Protocols using painful exercises offer a small but significant benefit over pain-free exercises in the short term, with moderate quality of evidence [30].
- A school-based intervention resulted in a significant group-by-time interaction for mean minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day in favour of the intervention group (adjusted difference between groups at follow-up=3.85 min, 95% CI (0.79 to 6.91), p≤0.01) [31].
- The school-based intervention included significantly more vigorous physical activity (2.45 min, p≤0.01), equating to 27 min more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week [31].
- There was no significant effect of an augmented exercise referral scheme using web-based behavioural support on weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 12 months between the groups recorded in ≥10 min bouts (mean difference 11.8 min of MVPA, 95% CI: −2.1 to 26.0; p=0.10) [33].
- There was no significant effect of an augmented exercise referral scheme using web-based behavioural support on weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 12 months between the groups without bouts (mean difference 13.7 min of MVPA, 95% CI: −26.8 to 54.2; p=0.51) [33].
- Findings from a prospective case series on proximal interphalangeal joint orthosis and therapeutic exercise for trigger finger demonstrate feasibility and short-term clinical improvement but cannot establish superiority over other conservative treatments due to the absence of a control group [34].
- Results from a formal 2-year cluster randomised-controlled trial confirmed the Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health programme was effective in improving youth fundamental movement skills proficiency [35].
- Brief interventions promoting physical activity in primary care and the community are likely to be inexpensive compared with usual care [37].
- A coaching intervention to enhance physical activity and prevent falls in community-dwelling people aged 60+ years improved daily steps, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, hours per week of walking, overall well-being, quality of life and disability [38].
- Treatment groups in the WALK 2.0 trial differed significantly in trajectories of minutes/day of physical activity (p=0.0198), through a greater change at 3 months for Web 2.0 than Web 1.0 (7.3 min/day, 95% CI 2.4 to 12.3) [39].
- Compared with obesity-low physical activity, there was no survival benefit of being normal weight if physical activity levels were low [40].
- Exercise therapy is effective for some adolescents with patellofemoral pain but not all, and adherence to exercises is a challenge [41].
- Adolescents doing home exercises three times per week or more are four times more likely to be recovered after 12 months [41].
- Physical activity interventions that combine self-monitoring with other components provide an additional modest yet sustained increase in step count compared with self-monitoring alone [42].
- The PERSiST guidance attempts to address the problem of poor reporting of medical and healthcare systematic reviews in the sports and exercise medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and sports science fields [43].
- Approximately 65 min per day of walking was linked to a more favourable cardiometabolic profile [45].
- Approximately 5 min of stair climbing was linked to a more favourable cardiometabolic profile [45].
- The adverse effects of sitting became pronounced above 12 hours per day [45].
- Researchers need to prevent the '24-hour Babel' by coming to agreement about how to collectively define physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep through an inclusive and systematic consensus process [47].
- Exercise therapy improved health-related quality of life (SMD 0.37) in people with multimorbidity [50].
- Exercise therapy improved objectively measured physical function (SMD 0.33) in people with multimorbidity [50].
- Exercise therapy reduced depression (SMD −0.80) in people with multimorbidity [50].
- Exercise therapy reduced anxiety symptoms (SMD −0.49) in people with multimorbidity [50].
Practical Considerations¶
- Light-intensity physical activity is an accessible public health target and a potentially valuable complement to existing physical activity guidelines [6].
- The proportion of participants meeting the health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) recommendations increased from 33.1% to 42.3% between baseline and first follow-up in the Allez Hop programme [12].
- Compared with control players, those who participated in the NMC programme found it to be less physically challenging but more enjoyable and potentially of more benefit [16].
- Policymakers should introduce physical activity promotion into the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) as an individual indicator at a cost of approximately £1 million [24].
- Brief advice is a cost-effective way to improve physical activity among adults, provided short-term mental health gains are considered [32].
Key Evidence¶
- [L5] There is little evidence that physical activity is associated with significant harm, and the benefits, in general, outweigh the risks. [1] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-104634)
- [L1] Maintenance interventions may help people continue to be physically active and improve physical function and health-related quality of life. [2] (10.1136/bjsports-2025-110444)
- [L5] The 2018 US PA guidelines opened new horizons for PA and exercise medicine practice by recognising that any bouts of PA count for health. [3] (10.1136/bjsports-2018-100397)
- [Paper] ISPAH's Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity provides a summary of eight areas for action that are supported by scientific evidence and have worldwide applicability. [4] (10.1136/bjsports-2020-103635)
- [Paper] The panel agreed on 10 major themes with strong scientific evidence that, in children and adolescents aged 6-17, participating in moderate to vigorous physical activities led to multiple positive health outcomes. [5] (10.1136/bjsports-2020-102261)
- [L5] LPA is an accessible public health target and a potentially valuable complement to existing PA guidelines, as it accounts for the majority of PA energy expenditure (51–59%). [6] (10.1136/bjsports-2025-111179)
- [L3] Sustained physical activity in older age is associated with improved overall health. [7] (10.1136/bjsports-2013-092993)
- [Paper] These 2020 WHO guidelines update previous WHO recommendations released in 2010. [9] (10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955)
- [L1] The interventions implemented at ≤12 weeks primarily improved the functional performance, whereas those lasting >12 weeks resulted in greater gains in the muscle strength and joint flexibility. [10] (10.1186/s13018-025-06430-7)
- [L1] There is moderate certainty evidence that fall prevention exercise programmes are likely to be cost-effective. [11] (10.1136/bjsports-2022-105747)
- [L4] The proportion of participants meeting the health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) recommendations increased from 33.1% to 42.3% between baseline and first follow-up. [12] (10.1136/bjsm.2009.070201)
- [Paper] Much of the evidence presented in the statements is based on longitudinal associations from observational and randomised controlled intervention studies, as well as quantitative and qualitative social studies in relatively healthy community-dwelling older adults. [13] (10.1136/bjsports-2018-100451)
- [L1] The addition of WAT-use did not have any effect on perceived joint function or HRQoL. [14] (10.1186/s12891-024-08238-8)
- [L1] AQE appears to provide meaningful pain relief for musculoskeletal disorders, with benefits that may persist during follow-up. [15] (10.1186/s12891-026-09953-0)
- [L1] Compared with control players, those who participated in the NMC programme found it to be less physically challenging but more enjoyable and potentially of more benefit. [16] (10.1136/bjsports-2013-092816)
- [L3] About 15 times more physical activity of at least moderate intensity is needed to achieve similar results. [17] (10.1136/bjsports-2023-107252)
- [L5] RCTs have failed to provide conclusive evidence that physical activity causes a reduced risk of death. [18] (10.1136/bjsports-2017-098995)
- [L5] Moderate treadmill exercise following an initial period of short-term immobilization has a positive impact on tendon-bone interface healing, whereas prolonged immobilization has a detrimental effect on physical recovery. [19] (10.1177/2325967125s00320)
- [L1] Inverse non-linear dose–response associations suggest substantial protection against a range of chronic disease outcomes from small increases in non-occupational physical activity in inactive adults. [20] (10.1136/bjsports-2022-105669)
- [L5] The ProPASS consortium aims to bring together existing and future observational studies of thigh-worn accelerometry to produce evidence on the associations of physical activity, sitting, and sleep with long-term health outcomes and longevity. [21] (10.1136/bjsports-2019-100786)
- [Paper] The consensus statement outlines approaches that may identify determinants and modifiers of CRF exercise response and recommends future research to better understand exercise response variability. [22] (10.1136/bjsports-2018-100328)
- [L5] Acknowledging the possibility that not all daily METs are the same in our scientific inquiry is an important step towards realising the full potential of bodily movement for promoting health. [23] (10.1136/bjsports-2017-098693)
- [L5] The authors propose that policymakers should introduce physical activity promotion into the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) as an individual indicator at a cost of approximately £1 million. [24] (10.1136/bjsm.2010.073726)
- [L1] PSE may act as a mechanism of action for exercise interventions, and is less successful delivered standalone. [25] (10.1186/s12891-025-09313-4)
- [L3] These findings question whether THA should be prioritized only for those patients who have severe hip OA symptoms, but require confirmation in a trial. [26] (10.1016/j.arth.2025.04.032)
- [L5] Instead, pain is modulated by many factors, and the relationship between pain and tissue becomes less predictable the longer pain persists. [27] (10.1136/bjsports-2017-098983)
- [L1] Exercise may improve pain and function with low to moderate certainty, but it is uncertain whether differences are clinically important. [29] (10.1097/corr.0000000000003476)
- [L1] Protocols using painful exercises offer a small but significant benefit over pain-free exercises in the short term, with moderate quality of evidence. [30] (10.1136/bjsports-2016-097383)
- [L1] There was a significant group-by-time interaction for mean minutes of MVPA per day in favour of the intervention group (adjusted difference between groups at follow-up=3.85 min, 95% CI (0.79 to 6.91), p≤0.01), including significantly more vigorous physical activity (2.45 min, p≤0.01), equating to 27 min more MVPA per week. [31] (10.1136/bjsports-2014-094523)
- [Paper] BA is a cost-effective way to improve PA among adults, provided short-term mental health gains are considered. [32] (10.1136/bjsports-2013-092897)
- [L1] There was no significant effect of the intervention on weekly MVPA at 12 months between the groups recorded in ≥10 min bouts (mean difference 11.8 min of MVPA, 95% CI: −2.1 to 26.0; p=0.10) or without bouts (mean difference 13.7 min of MVPA, 95% CI: −26.8 to 54.2; p=0.51). [33] (10.1136/bjsports-2020-103121)
- [L4] Because of the absence of a control group, these findings demonstrate feasibility and short-term clinical improvement but cannot establish superiority over other conservative treatments. [34] (10.1016/j.jhsg.2026.101038)
- [Paper] Results from a formal 2-year cluster randomised-controlled trial confirmed the programme was effective in improving youth FMS proficiency. [35] (10.1136/bjsports-2018-099745)
- [L1] Brief interventions promoting physical activity in primary care and the community are likely to be inexpensive compared with usual care. [37] (10.1136/bjsports-2015-094655)
- [L1] However, this programme improved other physical activity measures (ie, daily steps, MVPA, hours per week of walking), overall well-being, quality of life and disability. [38] (10.1136/bjsports-2023-107027)
- [L1] Treatment groups differed significantly in trajectories of minutes/day of physical activity (p=0.0198), through a greater change at 3 months for Web 2.0 than Web 1.0 (7.3 min/day, 95% CI 2.4 to 12.3). [39] (10.1136/bjsports-2016-096890)
- [L2] Compared with obesity-low physical activity, there was no survival benefit of being normal weight if physical activity levels were low. [40] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-104827)
- [Paper] Exercise therapy is effective for some adolescents but not all, and adherence to exercises is a challenge, with those doing home exercises three times per week or more being four times more likely to be recovered after 12 months. [41] (10.1136/bjsports-2016-096268)
- [L1] Physical activity interventions that combine self-monitoring with other components provide an additional modest yet sustained increase in step count compared with self-monitoring alone. [42] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-105198)
- [Paper] The Prisma in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport medicine and SporTs science (PERSiST) guidance attempts to address the problem of poor reporting of medical and healthcare systematic reviews in the sports and exercise medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and sports science fields. [43] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-103987)
- [Paper] Changes to the PA guidelines, such as removal of a 10-min bout criterion, pose challenges for PA surveillance. [44] (10.1136/bjsports-2020-102621)
- [L5] The resource also delivered the first pooled analysis exploring physical activity type in relation to cardiometabolic health, showing that approximately 65 min per day of walking and 5 min of stair climbing were each linked to a more favourable cardiometabolic profile, while the adverse effects of sitting became pronounced above 12 hours per day. [45] (10.1136/bjsports-2025-111283)
- [Paper] At follow-up, 65.0% of inactive participants were taking part in sport and 85.6% were meeting recommended MVPA guidelines. [46] (10.1136/bjsports-2017-097716)
- [L5] Researchers need to prevent this looming ‘24-hour Babel’ by coming to agreement about how to collectively define PA, SB and sleep through an inclusive and systematic consensus process. [47] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-104487)
- [L1] However, most of these differences did not reach the minimum threshold to be considered clinically important. [48] (10.1016/j.jht.2024.07.006)
- [L2] Similarly, individuals not achieving the WHO guideline for physical activity showed an elevated risk, even if they were abdominally lean (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.07). [49] (10.1136/bjsports-2024-108708)
- [L1] Exercise therapy improved health-related quality of life (SMD 0.37) and objectively measured physical function (SMD 0.33) and reduced depression (SMD −0.80) and anxiety symptoms (SMD −0.49). [50] (10.1136/bjsports-2021-104367)
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