Scientific and clinical advances leading to improved treatment of knee osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a very complex and disabling disease requiring a multidisciplinary approach to fully understand its pathogenesis. Key advances in the basic understanding of knee osteoarthritis in both its acute and chronic clinical presentations have led to remarkably successful treatments that can reduce pain, improve joint function, and increase physical activity levels. The purpose of the following papers is to present some of the research that has led to the better understanding of the structure and function of articular cartilage and the initiation, progression, treatment, and rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis.