Exercise therapy and outcome characteristics of included studies
| Knee joint loading exercise characteristics | Outcomes characteristics | Exercise quality | |||||||
| Study comparisons | Type | Frequency and duration | Exercise sessions attended/scheduled sessions (n and %) | Non-serious adverse events in the intervention group† | ROI | Outcomes | Anticipated impact on cartilage | Adequate/inadequate | |
| Armagan et al 34 2015 | Home exercise therapy vs oral glucosamine sulfate | WB and non-WB (quadriceps and hamstring strengthening and dynamic stair-step exercises) | 24 weeks | – | – | TFML | Morphology (semiquantitative scoring) | Low to moderate | Undeterminable* |
| Dincer et al 32 2016 | Supervised and home exercise, TENS and hot pack vs TENS and hot pack | WB (closed kinetic chain exercises, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and hot pack) | 5 T/W 30 min 12 weeks | – | n=2 (increase knee pain), n=1 (increase blood pressure) | TFML and P | Morphometry (thickness and volume) | Low to moderate | Inadequate |
| Henriksen et al 35 2014 | Supervised and home exercise vs non-exposed group | WB (circuit training) | 3 T/W 60 min 16 weeks | n=7/47 15% | – | TFML | Morphology (semiquantitative scoring) | Moderate | Adequate |
| Hunter et al 33 35 2015 | Supervised and home exercise and diet vs diet only | WB (aerobic walking, strength training) | 3 T/W 60 min 72 weeks | n=142/216 64% | n=1 (muscle strain), n=2 (trips/falls) | TFM | Morphometry (thickness and volume) | Low to moderate | Adequate |
| Landsmeer et al 36 2016 | Supervised exercise and diet vs oral placebo supplementation | WB (Nordic walking, volleyball, bowling, salsa dancing, tai chi, softball, belly dance and modern dance) | 1 T/W 60 min 20 weeks | n=7/20 35% | n=2 (side effects non-specified) | TFML and P | Morphology (semiquantitative scoring) | Low | Inadequate |
| Multanen et al 37 2014 | Supervised exercise therapy vs non-exposed group | WB (aerobic, step aerobics and jumping exercise) | 3 T/W 55 min 48 weeks | n=98/144 68% | – | TF anterior posterior central | Composition (GAG via dGEMRIC, collagen via T2 mapping) | High | Inadequate |
| Koli et al 40 2015 | Same as Multanen et al | Same as Multanen et al | Same as Multanen et al | Same as Multanen et al | Same as Multanen et al | Patellar | Composition (collagen via T2 mapping) | Same as Multanen et al | Same as Multanen et al |
| Munukka et al 38 2016 | Supervised exercise therapy vs non-exposed group | Non-WB (aquatic exercise therapy) | 3 T/W 60 min 16 weeks | n=42/48 88% | n=2 (bilateral knee pain and dyspnoea) | TF anterior posterior central | Composition (GAG via dGEMRIC, collagen via T2 mapping) | Low | Inadequate |
| Ochiai et al 39 2014 | Home exercise vs local heat treatment | Non-WB (2 sets of straight leg raise, abductor training and adductor training (20 reps per set) in the morning and evening every day) | 14 T/W – 12 weeks | – | n=1 (dizziness during exercise therapy) | TFML | Composition (collagen via T2 mapping) | Low | Inadequate |
| Roos and Dahlberg22 2005 | Supervised individually progressed exercise therapy vs non-exposed group | WB (weight-bearing neuromuscular exercises) | 1–5/week 60 min 16 weeks | n=31/54 54% | – | F central/posterior | Composition (GAG via dGEMRIC) | Moderate | Adequate |
*Too little information available.
†No serious adverse events were reported. Adequate/inadequate=the anticipated mechanical stimuli to the cartilage generated from the knee joint exercise intervention was considered of adequate (moderate) impact/of too high or too low impact to promote beneficial cartilage health.
GAG, glycosaminoglycans; L, lateral; M, medial; P, patella; ROI, region of interest; TF, tibiofemoral; WB, weight bearing; /W, per week.