Evidence Suggests Adult Knee Pain Improves Through Physical Therapy

A new research review from AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program finds that physical therapy interventions including aerobic, aquatic, strengthening, and proprioception exercise improve patient outcomes for adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Aerobic and aquatic exercise improved disability measures; aerobic and strengthening exercise reduced pain and improved function. However, no single therapy improved all outcomes. More research is needed to compare benefits and harms of combined physical therapy treatments that more closely resemble actual practice and to analyze the effects of additional treatments such as pain relievers on pain and function. Select to access the full review, Physical Therapy Interventions for Knee Pain Secondary to Osteoarthritis.