In adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, is conservative management more effective than intra-articular corticosteroid injections in relieving pain?


Author: Jones DF1, Hodgden JD1, Onarecker CD1

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Saint Anthony Hospital. Family Medicine Residency. Oklahoma City, OK.
Conference/Journal: J Okla State Med Assoc.
Date published: 2018 Aug-Sep
Other:
 Volume ID: 111   ,  Issue ID: 7   ,  Pages: 712-713   ,  Word Count: 87  
    Clinical Question: In adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, do conservative management methods such as weight reduction, physical therapy, Tai Chi, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and others provide more and longer pain relief and functionality of the knee, as well as overall well-being, when compared to corticosteroid knee injections?



Answer: Yes. Although there are limited head-to-head trials directly comparing each alternative method to corticosteroid injections, overall evidence appears to indicate conservative methods as being more effective than injections, especially when considering long-term pain relief and functionality.



PMID: 30524147