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EBMG

Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee

See also the article Osteoarthritis of the hand and wrist Osteoarthritis of the Hand and Wrist and osteoarthritis of the ankle and the foot in the article Painful conditions of the ankle and foot in adults Painful Conditions of the Ankle and Foot in Adults.

Essentials

  • Exercise therapy and avoidance of overweight prevent the development of osteoarthritis of the hip and knee and reduce the pain and functional impairment caused by it.
  • The efficacy of oral and intra-articular pharmacotherapy for reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis is uncertain.
  • Pharmacotherapy can be used to alleviate the pain caused by osteoarthritis, but long-term pharmacotherapy is associated with adverse effects.
  • Surgical treatment can be used if pain is otherwise unmanageable or if osteoarthritis impairs the patient's functional ability significantly.

Epidemiology and aetiology

  • Osteoarthritis of the hip
    • Virtually not encountered in persons less than 45 years of age but the prevalence increases especially in the age group of 65-74 years. About one fifth of both men and women aged 75-84 years have hip osteoarthritis.
    • Known risk factors include age, overweight, injuries, joint loading, developmental disorders of the joint as well as genetic factors.
  • Osteoarthritis of the knee
    • Virtually not encountered in persons less than 45 years of age. Prevalence increases especially in the age group of 55-64 years in men and in the age group of 65-74 years in women. In the age group of 75-84 years, 16% of men and about one third of women have knee osteoarthritis.
    • Risk factors, in addition to those for hip osteoarthritis, include female gender, history of menisceal injury or meniscectomy and deformities of the knee.

Symptoms

  • Initially pain during activity that increasingly limits the ability to move. Later pain at rest begins to disturb sleep.
  • Stiffness of the joint, decreased functional ability
  • As osteoarthritis progresses, malposition often develops, aggravating the condition. Swelling may develop in the joint.

Clinical examination

  • See Clinical Examination of Patients with Joint Inflammation in Primary Health Care.
  • Inspection of the joint
    • Deformity
    • Varus-valgus malalignment
    • Swelling
  • Mobility of the patient
    • Walking, limp
    • Crouching
  • Manual examination
    • Hip joint: passive abduction and adduction, inward and outward rotation, flexion and extension. Inward rotation is the first motion to become restricted.
    • In knee osteoarthritis, both extension and flexion deficits develop.
    • The WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) http://www.womac.com/ questionnaire may be used in the assessment of functional ability.
  • Laboratory tests
    • Not routinely needed but may be necessary for differential diagnostics
    • Depending on the situation: basic blood count with platelet count, CRP, ESR, rheumatoid factor, CCP (citrulline antibodies), urate
  • Radiological investigations
    • The need for plain x-rays is considered: would the finding affect the treatment provided?
    • Repeted imaging should be avoided unless the clinical situation changes essentially.
    • The posteroanterior (PA) view of the knees should be obtained with the patient standing with the knees slightly flexed. Both knees should be positioned in the same picture. The lateral view is obtained whith the patient either standing or recumbent.
    • X-rays of the hips are taken in the anteroposterior (AP) direction with the patient either standing or recumbent. The image quality is better especially in obese patients if the patient is in recumbent position.
    • MRI is not indicated as a first-line investigation in osteoarthritis. If x-rays raise the suspicion of avascular necrosis, malignancy or infection, MRI is recommended.

Non-pharmacological management Electromagnetic Fields for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis, Interventions to Improve Adherence to Exercise for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Adults

Pharmacotherapy Doxycycline for Osteoarthritis of the Knee or Hip, S-Adenosylmethionine for Osteoarthritis of the Knee or Hip

  • Pharmacotherapy should be used neither as the sole nor as the primary treatment in osteoarthritis.

Analgesics

Glucocorticoids

Hyaluronate

  • It is uncertain whether intra-articular hyaluronate provides clinically significant benefit in the treatment of osteoarthritis Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid for Knee Osteoarthritis. Hyaluronate must not be used as the first-line therapy.
  • Three to five intra-articular injections are usually given at one-week intervals.
  • When considering the use of intra-articular hyaluronate, the price (health centres pay the costs of any pharmacotherapy given there), labour intensity (each treatment session requires an appointment with a doctor) and the risk of complications associated with intra-articular puncture should be taken into account.

Glucosamine and chondroitin

  • GlucosamineGlucosamine in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis and chondroitin Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis may be effective for pain and functional impairment in some patients but the evidence is controversial. The drugs are quite well tolerated. The most common adverse effects associated with their use are mild gastrointestinal complaints.
  • In the absence of good alternatives, however, a therapeutic trial of 1 to 3 months may be indicated. A trial period can be repeated after a sufficient pause. The benefit should be assessed by the patient.

Other drugs

Herbal products

  • Of oral herbal products, Boswellia serrata and the combination of avocado and soyabean have been found to alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis Oral Herbal Therapies for Treating Osteoarthritis. There is no certainty about the duration or clinical significance of the effect. No severe adverse effects have been found to be associated with these products.

Hip osteoarthritis

  • Restricted range of motion in hip osteoarthritis: video Restricted Range of Motion of the Hip Caused by Osteoarthritis
  • Provision of instructions for physical exercise, in particular, is important for both treatment and prevention of the disease and should be started immediately after diagnosis.
  • The patient must be encouraged to stay active. Physical exercise reduces pain and improves joint function Exercise for Osteoarthritis of the Hip. Swimming, cycling and walking on soft terrain are good sports.
  • Physiotherapy may be helpful in mild hip osteoarthritis.
    • Abduction exercises are best performed when lying on the back, extension training when lying on the side.
    • If active stretching is not sufficient, contractures are treated with passive stretching of the flexor and adductor muscles with a pre-treatment regimen (warming with ultrasound and massage).
  • Technical devices may be necessary if the restriction of hip movement is considerable.
    • A long-handled grabber, a stocking aid, raising the height of the bed and a special chair may be necessary.

Knee osteoarthritis

Surgical management Continuous Passive Motion Following Total Knee Arthroplasty in People with Arthritis, Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation after Joint Replacement at the Hip and Knee

References

  • Leaney AA, Lyttle JR, Segan J et al. Antidepressants for hip and knee osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2022;(10):CD012157. [PubMed]
  • O'Connor D, Johnston RV, Brignardello-Petersen R et al. Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee disease (osteoarthritis including degenerative meniscal tears). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2022;(3):CD014328. [PubMed]
  • da Costa BR, Pereira TV, Saadat P et al. Effectiveness and safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid treatment for knee and hip osteoarthritis: network meta-analysis. BMJ 2021;(375):n2321. [PubMed]
  • Deyle GD, Allen CS, Allison SC et al. Physical Therapy versus Glucocorticoid Injection for Osteoarthritis of the Knee. N Engl J Med 2020;382(15):1420-1429. [PubMed]

Evidence Summaries