Improving Symptoms in Knee Osteoarthritis: Can We Get There From Here?

• Published in: Annals of internal medicine Vol. 166; no. 7; pp. 531 - 532
• Main Author: Mandl, Lisa A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American College of Physicians 04-04-2017
• Subjects: Arthritis; Clinical trials; Disability; Humans; Knee; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Pain management; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0003-4819; 1539-3704
• DOI: 10.7326/M17-0330

Chronic knee pain, which is predominantly due to osteoarthritis, is associated with significant disability and decreased quality of life. Although a plethora of national and international osteoarthritis guidelines agree on the importance of nonpharmacologic therapy for knee osteoarthritis, the implementation of such therapy in the community is poor. Although some complementary therapies may improve knee pain and disability, most lack convincing data to support their use. Rather than resorting to unproven therapies, patients with knee osteoarthritis would be better served by having access to effective nonpharmacologic therapies. Here, Mandl comments on Bennell et al's randomized, controlled trial that evaluates whether delivering nonpharmacologic therapy via the Internet can improve pain and decrease disability in persons with knee pain.