Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Author Spotlight: Using a Rabbit Model to Explore the Efficacy of Tuina in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis
04:23

Author Spotlight: Using a Rabbit Model to Explore the Efficacy of Tuina in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis

Published on: August 25, 2023

2.3K

Complementary therapies for osteoarthritis: are they effective?

Rouzi Shengelia1, Samantha J Parker1, Mary Ballin2

  • 1Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.

Pain Management Nursing : Official Journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
|December 10, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Complementary therapies like tai chi, acupuncture, yoga, and massage are safe and offer short-term pain relief and improved function for osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Further research is needed for long-term benefits and diverse patient groups.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Recall bias affects pain and depression assessment in multimorbidity: a pilot study.

Primary health care research & development·2026
Same author

Psychosocial Interventions for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Among Older Adults: A Scoping Review.

Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society·2026
Same author

mHealth applications to enhance physical therapy outcomes among adults with chronic non-cancer pain: a scoping review.

Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Communicating with Patients and Families with Limited English Proficiency in the Home Hospice Setting: A National Survey of U.S. Hospice Providers.

Journal of palliative medicine·2026
Same author

From valuing research to implementing evidence-based practices: perceptions of research value, confidence, and barriers among aging service providers.

The Gerontologist·2026
Same author

Federal Policy Changes and Career Stability Among NIH K-Award Recipients.

JAMA network open·2026

Area of Science:

  • Integrative Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

  • Osteoarthritis (OA) management increasingly explores complementary modalities.
  • Tai chi, acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy are of growing interest for OA treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) on complementary therapies for osteoarthritis.
  • To evaluate the safety and short-term efficacy of tai chi, acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy in OA management.

Main Methods:

  • Searched Medline, Pubmed, and Cinahl for English-language RCTs and SRs on complementary therapies for OA.
  • Two authors independently abstracted data on study characteristics, interventions, outcomes, and safety.
  • Included 29 articles evaluating tai chi, acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Tuina - A New Perspective
06:14

Author Spotlight: Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Tuina - A New Perspective

Published on: January 12, 2024

2.7K
Author Spotlight: Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
07:19

Author Spotlight: Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain

Published on: March 24, 2023

8.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Author Spotlight: Using a Rabbit Model to Explore the Efficacy of Tuina in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis
04:23

Author Spotlight: Using a Rabbit Model to Explore the Efficacy of Tuina in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis

Published on: August 25, 2023

2.3K
Author Spotlight: Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Tuina - A New Perspective
06:14

Author Spotlight: Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Tuina - A New Perspective

Published on: January 12, 2024

2.7K
Author Spotlight: Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
07:19

Author Spotlight: Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain

Published on: March 24, 2023

8.3K

Main Results:

  • All four complementary therapies (tai chi, acupuncture, yoga, massage) were found to be safe for individuals with OA.
  • Positive short-term effects (≤6 months) including reduced pain and improved physical functioning were observed for all therapies.
  • Limited data exists on the comparative effectiveness of these therapies and their effects in diverse patient subgroups or joint involvements beyond the knee.

Conclusions:

  • Complementary therapies demonstrate safety and short-term benefits in reducing pain and improving function for adults with OA.
  • Further research is essential to determine long-term benefits and relative effectiveness across different patient populations and disease severities.