Research suggests that staying active can help individuals suffering from knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) reduce pain and improve their physical function.

The study, which appears in the August issue of Arthritis Care & Research, followed 150 patients with OA who were receiving exercise therapy for a period of 60 months to assess adherence to home exercises, home activities, and increased physical activity recommended by their physical therapists.

They found that after three months, 57.8 percent of study subjects adhered to the recommended exercises and 53.8 percent to recommended activities. Adherence to exercise was significantly associated with a decrease in pain and improvements in self-reported physical function and physical performance.

"Better adherence to home exercises and being more physically active improves the long-term effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with OA of the hip and/or knee," said lead study author, Martijn Pisters, M.Sc., PT.

Researchers noted that adherence to recommended activities declined over time, at the 15-month and 60-month follow-ups.

"Future research should focus on how exercise behavior can be stimulated and maintained in the long term to improve outcomes for patients with OA," said Pisters.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and a significant source of disability and impaired quality of life.

According to the Mayo Clinic, among some of the natural treatments for joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin, acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.