Arthritis Rheumatol

Early and frequent PT may ward off future intraarticular injections for knee osteoarthritis

May 16, 2025

Study details: This real-world cohort study utilized data from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse, examining 67,245 American adults with newly diagnosed knee osteoarthritis (OA) who were referred for physical therapy (PT) within the first year of diagnosis. The study assessed the timing, dose, and type of PT in relation to the risk of future intraarticular therapy use.

Results: Among those with prior intraarticular therapies, initiating PT at 9-12 months post-diagnosis was associated with a 44% higher risk of future intraarticular therapy (95% confidence interval 1.35-1.55) compared with those who started PT within a month. For both groups, attending ≥13 PT sessions was associated with a 10% to 12% lower risk of future intraarticular therapy. The type of PT (active vs. passive) didn’t significantly affect the risk.

Clinical impact: These findings highlight the importance of early and sustained PT in managing knee OA, suggesting that prompt initiation and a higher number of PT sessions may reduce the need for future intraarticular injections.

Source:

Neogi T, et al. (2025, March 16). Arthritis Rheumatol. Association of Physical Therapy Care With Use of Intra-Articular Injections in People With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Real-World Cohort Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40091450/