Adults with knee osteoarthritis who had physical therapy, steroid injections in the painful joint, or saw non-surgical specialists were less likely than others to undergo knee surgery, a study of 988,570 Medicare beneficiaries found. The researchers say that while surgery is highly effective for the condition, other options should be considered, too. Surgery, physical therapy, and injections are all considered appropriate treatments.
Source: Ward MM. Osteoarthritis care and risk of total knee arthroplasty among Medicare beneficiaries. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021;Jun 8. doi.org/10.1002/art.41878.
