It has been known for many years that movement and exercise in different forms are beneficial and can decrease pain for those with osteoarthritis. One might have to look around to find a form of exercise that fits since it is individually. Some prefer to train on their own, and others prefer training in a group. Some get offered to participate in classes led by a trainer/physiotherapist from their health care center, and some get exercise programs to follow at home. 

Researchers investigated which effect exercise led by trainers and information to patients had and if this might be better than other treatments and types of training. It is a Danish study, and those included were all using opioids as painkillers on a daily basis. The researchers investigated if the use of opioids decreased when the participants got to try the intervention, exercise led by a trainer, and patient information.

The result shows that from the start of the study until the end, the use of opioids decreased by 10%. When analyzing the overall usage of opioids in society, the researchers could tell that the use of opioids decreased with the same number in the population. Because of this, the decrease in opioid use cannot be directly linked to the studied interventions but rather tell us the regulations have become stricter when prescribing opioids.

The participants had either hip- or knee osteoarthritis. With the use of opioids in society in mind, it’s impossible to say that the result shows a decrease in the use of opioids. Furthermore, the researchers mean that more research is needed in the field to tell if exercise led by a trainer and information to the patients decrease the use of opioids.  
 
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