Hip and Knee OA Treatment Pyramid

Date Posted : March 21, 2021

For many years, good research has advised how hip and knee osteoarthritis should be managed. Guidelines have been very consistent in the following recommendations.

The first line of treatment for ALL patients with hip or knee OA is education, exercise and weight loss.
SOME patients may need more. That second line of treatment could include medications, aids and devices (such as braces and orthotics) and more individualized therapy.
In those FEW cases where the non-surgical first and second lines of treatment aren’t proving sufficient, the next step is to pursue surgical consultation. This is considered the third-line of treatment.

We know that too many hip and knee OA patients don't receive adequate exposure to the long-term tools to self-manage their arthritic joints. Luckily, the tide has really turned in recent years.