Experimental study for the establishment of exercise therapy as preventive strategy for chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11347
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Sakamoto Junya 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 准教授 (20584080)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 本田 祐一郎 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 助教 (40736344) ; 沖田 実 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 教授 (50244091)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 運動療法 / 変形性膝関節症 / 慢性疼痛 / 一次予防戦略 / 二次予防戦略 / 歩行運動 / 筋収縮運動 / 抗炎症作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Better management is needed to prevent the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain. In this study, we examined the effects of exercise therapy as a primary and secondary prevention strategy for chronic musculoskeletal pain caused by knee osteoarthritis (OA) using a rat knee OA model. As the result, it was suggested that regular walking exercise induced in vivo environment which suppresses the inflammation in the knee joint, and that pain becomes slight, even if the knee OA was developed. Additionally, it was suggested that regular muscle contraction exercise reduced knee pain and secondary hyperalgesia through improvement on the synovitis and suppression of the central sensitization in spinal dorsal horn.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果，継続的な運動を実践すると炎症に抗する生体内環境が整えられ，膝OAを発症しても痛みは軽度となり，その結果，慢性疼痛へ発展する可能性は低くなると考えられる．また，膝OA発症後でも継続的な筋収縮運動を実践すると，痛みの発生・持続に関わる病態が抑制されることで痛みが改善し，慢性疼痛の発生を抑制できると推察される．つまり，本研究の成果は，継続的な運動療法の実践が膝OAに起因する慢性疼痛の発生を予防する効果的な介入戦略の１つになり得ることを示す基礎データといえる．今後，効果的な運動条件や詳細な効果機序等について検討を進め，国民病ともいえる膝OAに起因する慢性疼痛の予防戦略の確立に寄与したい．