5. Conclusions and Future Directions
OA
DISEASE PROGRESSION
The influence of sports practice on the development of EOA is a cause for concern. The ability to treat OA in its early stages may be largely linked to alterations in specific extrinsic or intrinsic factors associated with the patient to spare the joint from further disease progression; these factors include sports practice, equipment, and load. Nonpharmacological management such as muscle strengthening, and training plays an important role in the care of athletes with EOA. The present study concluded that exercise therapy as a standalone treatment exhibited considerably significant changes; however, exercise therapy combined with oral collagen supplementation was effective and superior to the other interventions in improving the VAS scores, strength, and KOOS scores in people with EOA. Further studies need to be conducted, wherein the effect of exercise and collagen supplementation on cartilage health should be correlated with the radiological findings and clinical biomarkers for EOA.