A paper authored by Curtin University and published in British Journal of Sports Medicine has shed light on people living with knee osteoarthritis who may be needlessly suffering or receiving the wrong treatments for their symptoms, recommending a major change in how osteoarthritis is understood and treated.
The paper expressed that people with osteoarthritis are often provided potentially risky treatments with limited benefit such as opioid medication, injections, and arthroscopic surgery to manage their pain.
“This editorial is a call to action by international leaders in the field, from physiotherapy, rheumatology and orthopaedic surgery, including an outline of three key steps that are needed to change the way healthcare professionals understand and manage knee osteoarthritis,” said Lead author Dr. JP Caneiro, from Curtin’s School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science in a press release.
Dr. Caneiro pointed out that most people with osteoarthritis around the globe are not receiving the best practice care, including education, strengthening exercises, physical activity and weight management, that they require. Greater support from the health system is needed.
“This includes changing the way clinicians understand and explain the condition to patients, how they treat the condition and by coaching patients to put them in charge of managing their own condition. Together, this helps to reduce the disability burden and suffering associated with knee osteoarthritis.”
According to Dr. Caneiro, proposed steps would enable healthcare professionals to promote a new and better understanding of knee osteoarthritis that is aligned with contemporary evidence. “Knee osteoarthritis can be painful and debilitating, and the pain is often blamed on structural damage, with people frequently given scans and told that their knees are ‘bone on bone,’ leading them to believe that a knee replacement is inevitable.”
Co-author John Curtin Distinguished Professor Peter O’Sullivan, also from Curtin’s School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, said it was critical to spread the message to international and national healthcare professionals and the general public to change society’s misconceptions about knee osteoarthritis.
Greater support needed to improve the treatment of knee osteoarthritis @jpcaneiro @DrChrisBarton @ewa_roos @ProfDavidHunter @BJSM_BMJ https://t.co/IK2489ljz8
— Peter O'Sullivan (@PeteOSullivanPT) September 6, 2019
“It is important for clinicians to shift away from labeling this condition as ‘structural damage’ and instead focus on knee health, encouraging exercise therapy, physical activity and weight loss, as well as reassuring patients that it is safe to exercise and strengthen their knee,” Professor O’Sullivan said.
“People with osteoarthritis need health professionals to coach them to develop a positive mindset, engage with exercise, and learn how to manage possible flare-ups. To facilitate a shift in the treatment of osteoarthritis, important changes need to occur at the health system level such as funding, and better reimbursement for exercise, weight loss and education programs for osteoarthritis care.”
https://twitter.com/AwesomeCapital/status/1170654608324202497
Greater support needed to improve the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. https://t.co/guSeCtV4Zx
— GLAD Canada (@GLADCanada) September 9, 2019
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