Outcomes of a conservative care program for knee osteoarthritis through translation of research into practice

Evidence-based guidelines suggest a conservative, nonsurgical approach as first-line treatment for knee osteoarthritis. However, previous literature has documented underutilization of the fundamental components of condition management emphasized in the guidelines. The intervention aim is to apply organized conservative components of care for knee osteoarthritis in an evidence-based management program through the translation of research into practice with a target to observe meaningful functional improvement in a distinct population.

The program, modeled after the nonsurgical arm of a randomized, controlled trial, was designed as a single-arm observational cohort study with a pre- and post-program comparison for participants reporting presence of knee osteoarthritis who were attributed to a specific employer's health plan in the United States. The 12-week intervention consisted of condition education, group exercise, and a dietary intervention.

Ninety-six participants enrolled in the program, of which 72% completed the protocol. The median change in pre- to post-program Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score values was 10.4 ± 0.8 (Z = 210.5, p < 0.001)-a clinically important change. Secondary outcomes were complementary to the primary outcome.

Results of the program indicate that the clinically significant 3-month findings in the report by Skou et al. (2015) regarding functional improvement can be replicated in an alternate setting. Organizing and offering fundamental components of condition management in a group format with provider oversight could be a feasible and logical component in the continuum of care for knee osteoarthritis, while complementing other secondary management strategies following diagnosis.