Knee osteoarthritis is a problem that not only becomes more common with age, but can become extremely uncomfortable the longer it goes on for, causing stiffness, difficulty moving and persistent pain. However, there are some ways to manage it.
A team of researchers looked into the best non-drug therapies that can be used to manage this. By analysing 139 clinical trials involving nearly 10,000 people, they managed to find the answers.
12 different approaches were looked into, including laser therapy, electrical stimulation, knee braces, insoles, kinesiology tape, water-based therapy, exercise and ultra-sound.
What was the best option?
In the comparison, knee braces ranked especially high. They were associated with reduced pain and stiffness and seemed to offer improvements in physical function as well.
Hydrotherapy was especially effective in the area of reducing pain. By doing exercises in warm water, it helped improve the pain experience and supported physical function in the patients.
The methods that involved more advanced technology were also effective. For example, high-intensity laser therapy and shock wave therapy produced benefits in certain measures.
However, the researchers stated that ultrasound repeatedly ranked near the bottom of the different treatment options.
Simple is the best approach
Interestingly, the researchers found that relatively simple and accessible therapies ranked in the top options for knee-based arthritis. Of course, these rankings are not official and are based only from the researchers findings.
Because the researchers were basing their findings on an array of different studies, they all had different factors involved. They are based on differing numbers of patients, ages and locations.
Knee braces, hydrotherapy, and exercise are the most effective non-drug therapies for knee osteoarthritis. They reduce pain and improve mobility without the gastrointestinal or cardiovascular risks linked to common pain medications. Patients and clinicians should prioritize these evidence-based options," the researchers highlighted.
"Our analysis of nearly 10,000 patients reveals that simple, accessible therapies like knee bracing and water-based exercise outperform high-tech options like ultrasound. This could reshape clinical guidelines to focus on safer, lower-cost interventions."
Future research is needed to investigate whether combining treatments produces even better results, but this shows the importance of non-drug related treatments for arthritic knees.
