Effects of high-intensity interval exercise training on knee health and articular cartilage volume in patients with obesity: A comparative study between bicycle and treadmill groups

Objective

It's a comparative study between bicycle and treadmill groups to observe the effects of high-intensity interval exercise training on knee health and articular cartilage volume in patients with obesity, thus to provide a scientific basis for the healthy exercise methods to lose weight.

Methods

60 patients with simple obesity were randomly divided into two groups of 30: the bicycle group and the treadmill group. Both groups received high-intensity interval exercise training, power bicycle training and moving treadmill training (MTT) were accepted respectively. Both groups received consecutive treatment for 12 weeks, five times a week, and every single time lasted for 30 min. Before and after treatment, the body mass index (BMI), the knee's articular cartilage volume was measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),the pain of knee was assessed with visual analogue scale (VAS). Before and after each training session, the local skin temperature of the knee was measured with an electronic thermometer.

Results

After 12 weeks of treatment, the BMI was both decreased, the VAS and the local skin temperature of knee was increased significantly, the knee's articular cartilage volume in the treadmill group was reduced significantly, while the above indicators in the bicycle group did not change significantly, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Power bicycle training can avoid a decrease in the volume of knee joint cartilage, while MTT can easily lead to a decrease in the volume of knee joint cartilage, an increase in local skin temperature and pain of knee joint.