The best non-drug therapies to relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis
Knee braces really do seem to relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis that affects the joint Tom Werner/Getty Images Knee braces and water-based exercise appear to be two of the most effective ways to ease the pain and stiffness caused by knee osteoarthritis. That is according to a review of 12 non-drug therapies, but higher-quality evidence is needed before this guides clinical practice. The condition is caused by the wear and tear of cartilage that cushions the ends of bones, leading to inflammation, pain and stiffness. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs can relieve these symptoms, but can also have side effects, so clinicians typically recommend physical therapies, such as shoe insoles to relieve knee pressure, supporting the joint with tape or using laser therapy to promote cartilage healing. However, it is unclear how these methods compare. “A lot of reviews of treatments only look at how well a single therapy works,” says Sarah Kingsbury at the University of Leeds in the UK, who wasn’t involved in the latest research. To fill this gap, Yuan Luo at the First …