Surgery might not be the answer for more than one million Australians suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. or signup to continue reading Most people can reduce pain and boost mobility with tailored exercise and avoid the potential complications, costs and recovery times of surgery, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care says. Phoebe Holdenson Kimura, general practitioner and medical adviser to the commission, said tailored exercise was safe and effective despite common misconceptions.
"Our understanding of osteoarthritis and the pathology of the knee joint and soft tissues has changed," Dr Holdenson Kimura said. Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease categorised by a breakdown of joint tissue that can cause pain and make tasks such as walking or climbing stairs difficult. The condition affects more than 1.
2 million Australians and, along with osteoarthritis of the hand and of the hip, costs Australia's health-care system $4.3 billion a year. Osteoarthritis is more common in people aged older than 45 and those who are overweight have double the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.
The commission, a government agency, has released a new standard on clinical care to reduce impairment, update treatment practices and improve clinician communication. "Let's avoid language that catastrophises osteoarthritis including phrases like 'bone on bone' and 'wear and tear', which suggest we will damage our joints by moving them," Dr Holden.