Knee Osteoarthritis Can Be ‘Successfully Managed’ Without Surgery: Australian Orthopaedic Surgeon

Australians living with knee osteoarthritis have been advised to reconsider knee replacement surgery after more conservative management approaches were found to be safe and effective. This comes after the clinical care standards for knee osteoarthritis were updated following concerns that unnecessary knee surgeries and imaging tests are on the rise. Before these updated guidelines (pdf), published by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) on Aug. 15, knee replacement surgery was seen as an inevitable magic bullet or go-to treatment option for knee osteoarthritis. Under the new guidelines, physical activity and weight management are effective treatment options for knee osteoarthritis....