Non-Surgical Management Strategies for Osteoarthritis
Summary
Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide, necessitating a comprehensive non-surgical approach that prioritises patient-centred care and long-term self-management. Core strategies include structured patient education and self-management programmes to foster informed decision-making and adherence to lifestyle modifications. Therapeutic exercise—encompassing aerobic conditioning, muscle strengthening and neuromuscular training—remains the cornerstone of conservative treatment, consistently demonstrating reductions in pain and improvements in physical function. Weight management through nutritional counselling and behavioural support is critical for individuals with excess body weight, alleviating joint load and slowing disease progression. Adjunctive therapies, such as manual mobilisation techniques, orthotic devices and assistive walking equipment, offer additional symptom relief. Tailored pharmacological regimens may involve topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics or intra-articular corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid in appropriate cases. Emerging digital health solutions, including tele-rehabilitation and app-based biofeedback, are expanding access and enabling personalised exercise regimes. Interdisciplinary collaboration among physiotherapists, dietitians, rheumatologists and primary care clinicians underpins optimal outcomes. Given the global burden of osteoarthritis and its socioeconomic impact, scalable, evidence-based non-surgical programmes that can be adapted across diverse healthcare contexts are essential for improving quality of life and reducing the need for joint replacement surgery.
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Non-Surgical Management Strategies for Osteoarthritis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in non-surgical management strategies for osteoarthritis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Therapeutic exercise: Structured physical activity prescribed to reduce pain and enhance joint function in osteoarthritis.
Self-management education: Programmes that equip patients with knowledge and skills to actively manage symptoms and treatment choices.
Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis: A method pooling raw data from multiple trials to investigate treatment effects and moderators at the patient level.
Digital exercise therapy: Remote delivery of guided exercise programmes through technology platforms to support rehabilitation and adherence.
References
- Moderators of the effect of therapeutic exercise for knee and hip osteoarthritis: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis. The Lancet Rheumatology (2023).
- Change in willingness for surgery and risk of joint replacement after an education and exercise program for hip/knee osteoarthritis: A longitudinal cohort study of 55,059 people. PLOS Medicine (2025).
- Effect of Digital Exercise Therapy on the Pain and Physical Function of Patients With Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2025).
- The effect of mobilization with movement on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2019).
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