Overview of treatment options for arthritis in the active patient

The understanding of arthritis and possible treatment options continues to improve. This article discusses classification of articular cartilage degeneration, osteochondral defects, osteotomy, and a variety of treatments. Developments in the study of growth factors, molecular biology, and gene therapy make the future bright; it is contingent, however, on critical factors such as controlled studies, accurate inclusion criteria, outcome measurement, and long-term follow-up.