Background: Although non-pharmacological therapies for knee osteoarthritis (OA) are essential pillars of care, they are often poorly considered and inconsistently applied.
Objectives: Under the umbrella of the French Society of Rheumatology (SFR) and the French Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SOFMER), we aimed to establish consensual recommendations for the non-pharmacological management of people with knee OA.
Methods: A group of fellows performed a systematic literature review on the efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological modalities (up to October 2021). The fellows then took part in discussions with a multidisciplinary group of experts to draft a list of recommendations. The list was then submitted to an independent reading committee who rated their level of agreement with each recommendation. Each recommendation was assigned a strength of recommendation and a level of evidence.
Results: Five general principles were unanimously accepted: (A) the need to combine non-pharmacological and pharmacological measures; (B) the need for personalized management; (C) the need to promote adherence; (D) the need for adapted physical activity; and (E) the need for person-centered education. Specific positive or negative recommendations were defined for 11 modalities: (1) unloading knee brace; (2) kinesiotaping or knee sleeves; (3) shoes and/or insoles; (4) using a cane; (5) physical exercise program; (6) joint mobilization; (7) electro- or thermo-therapy; (8) acupuncture; (9) weight loss; (10) thermal spa therapy; and (11) workplace accommodation.
Conclusions: These SFR/SOFMER recommendations provide important and consensual knowledge to assist health professionals in decision-making for non-pharmacological treatments for knee OA.
Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis; Non-pharmacological interventions; Osteoarthritis; Recommendations; Treatments.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.