October

Treatment for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) aims to reduce pain, maintain or im­prove function, and, where possible, to slow the progress of the underlying disease. Although no medication has yet been shown to slow the advance of joint pathology in osteo­arthritis, pharmacological management remains an integral component of therapy for most patients in the course of their disease. 

In order to develop patient-focused evidence-based recommendations for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis, the Osteo­arth­ritis Research Society International (OARSI) convened a panel of 16 ex­perts from four medical disciplines: primary care, rheumatology, ortho­pae­dics, and evidence-based medicine. 

Panel members reviewed existing guidelines for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis, a highly prev­alent cause of pain and disability,[1] along with data published from 1945 to January 2006.[2]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a noninflammatory form of arth­ritis. A common misconception is that OA is due solely to wear and tear, since OA is typically a disease of persons in the sixth decade and beyond. “Degenerative arthritis” is often used as a syno­nym for OA, but OA is not the result of a bland degenerative process; rather, OA involves both degenerative and regenerative processes. 

Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is a common,[1,2] costly,[3-5] and debilitating condition, and to date, management of this disorder remains a challenge.[6,7] While the most recent medical evidence supports moderate physical activity as a valid and durable intervention for LBP, many conventional treatments appear to provide a lack of efficacy or durability. Indeed, for some treatments, including surgery, the risks might outweigh the benefits.

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