Knee osteoarthritis: key treatments and implications for physical therapy

Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive disease that imparts a substantial socioeconomic burden to society and healthcare systems. The prevalence of knee OA has dramatically risen in recent decades due to consistent increases in life expectancy and obesity worldwide. Patient education, physical exercise, and weight loss (for overweight or obese individuals) constitute the first-line knee OA treatment approach. However, less than 40% of patients with knee OA receive this kind of intervention. There is an unmet need for healthcare professionals treating individuals with knee OA to understand the current recommended treatment strategies to provide effective rehabilitation. Objective To guide physical therapists in their clinical decision making by summarizing the safest and most efficacious treatment options currently available, and by delineating the most traditional outcome measures used in clinical research for knee OA. Conclusion There is a need for healthcare providers to abandon low-quality and ineffective treatments and educate themselves and their patients about the current best evidence-based practices for knee OA.