Surgery

Pathology

Nursing

Intensive care medicine

Physical therapy

Alternative medicine

Osteoarthritis

Disease

Quality of life (healthcare)

Conservative management

Population

Joint disease

Conservative treatment

Medicine

Environmental health

World Journal of Orthopedics

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic debilitating disease with an estimated prevalence of 23.9% in the general adult population.The condition is characterised by joint pain, functional impairment and significant reduction in quality of life.Management for KOA can generally be divided into conservative (non-operative) and surgical (operative) measures.Conservative management broadly compromises pharmacological and non-pharmacological options and is conventionally the first line treatment to avoid or delay the need for surgical management.The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the current recommendations, efficacy and safety profile of different conservative treatments through a review of the literature.

Conservative treatment of knee osteoarthritis: A review of the literature