Combined knee osteoarthritis and diabetes is associated with reduced muscle strength, physical inactivity, and poorer quality of life.
Shi Rui Seow, Sumaiyah Mat, Jun Jie Teoh and 7 others
PMID 39225040WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with both knee osteoarthritis and diabetes had significantly lower muscle strength and physical activity than those with either condition alone.
However, diabetes did not worsen knee pain, and the combined group did not show higher fall risk than those with knee pain alone.
Key findings
01Participants with both knee osteoarthritis and diabetes had significantly poorer handgrip strength and lower-limb strength compared to those with neither condition.
02The group with both conditions was significantly more likely to be physically inactive and report lower quality of life than the healthy reference group.
03Knee osteoarthritis alone, regardless of diabetes status, was independently associated with poor gait speed and social isolation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that having both conditions causes these deficits, only that they are associated. Diabetes and knee osteoarthritis were defined partly by self-reported physician diagnosis, which may introduce recall bias. The study was exploratory and involved multiple comparisons, increasing the risk of false positive findings despite statistical adjustments. Psychological scores were generally low, which may have masked differences in depression or anxiety between the groups.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by government research grants (Fundamental Research Grant Scheme and Research University Grant).
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that diabetes worsens knee pain or specific knee symptoms. The study found no significant difference in knee pain scores between patients with knee osteoarthritis alone and those with both knee osteoarthritis and diabetes.