New Treatment Paradigm Suggested for Osteoarthritis

How we talk about disease treatment also makes a difference in how it is perceived, points out Ewa Roos, PhD, PT, professor and head of the Musculoskeletal Function and Physiotherapy research unit at the University of Southern Denmark’s Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics. Regarding OA as a disease where surgery is a solution means education, exercise, and weight loss are often considered “conservative treatment,” making it less attractive to just about everyone, says Dr. Roos.

“This terminology also signals education, exercise, and weight loss as being ‘old-fashioned,’ ” says Dr. Roos, who prefers the term “preventive.”

To avoid more invasive types of interventions such as surgery, knee and hip pain should be treated more like back pain—at the first sign of symptoms—instead of waiting for OA to develop, says Dr. Roos.

“What we are proposing is that you should act a lot earlier. You should act on the first symptoms to be able to prevent progression of symptoms and of disease,” says Dr. Roos.

Healthcare Costs

The costs to treat OA are high and expected to climb. Managing the condition proactively with an eye toward prevention should help to lessen the individual and societal financial burden, says Kennedy.

“This is particularly important in the context of an aging society where, in the absence of a proactive approach to OA prevention and early management, increased incidence of OA will be a certainty,” says Kennedy.

“If we could make a significant difference in understanding and treating OA, there would be significant financial impact and cost savings to the health care system” and the tens of millions of people who suffer from it, says Dr. Mahomed.

Catherine Kolonko is a medical writer based in California.

Reference

1. United States Bone and Joint Initiative. A new vision for chronic osteoarthritis management. September 2012. Available at www.usbjd.org/projects/files/COAMI%20WG%20Mtg%20Summary%20Final.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2013.