A major analysis of 139 clinical trials involving nearly 10,000 people suggests that some of the simplest treatments may work best for knee osteoarthritis. Knee braces ranked highest overall for reducing pain, stiffness, and mobility problems, while water-based therapy was especially effective for pain and regular exercise consistently improved both pain and physical function. More high-tech approaches, including ultrasound, generally performed worse.
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The findings suggest that relatively simple and accessible therapies may be among the strongest options for managing knee osteoarthritis without medication.
The researchers caution that the rankings are not definitive. The 139 studies differed in how they were designed; some involved relatively small groups of participants, and treatment durations varied considerably. Those differences can make it harder to precisely determine which therapy is truly best.
Even with those limitations, the authors concluded that physical therapies appear promising for KOA and could provide useful alternatives to anti-inflammatory medications.
Future research will need to investigate whether combining treatments produces even better results. Researchers also want to determine which approaches provide the greatest benefits relative to their cost.
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Source: Nearly 10,000 patients reveal what works best for knee arthritis pain relief | ScienceDaily
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