ROLE OF PHYSICAL THERAPY IN REDUCING PAIN AND IMPROVING FUNCTION IN OSTEOARTHRITIS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common progressive joint disorder and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Pharmacotherapy for OA alleviate symptoms, but carry potential health risks and do not modify structural progression of the disease Purpose: To integrate existing evidence regarding Physical Therapy interventions such as strengthening exercises, aerobic exercise, flexibility training, Osteoarthritis manual therapy; focusing on clinical effectiveness, dosing, safety, and application in knee, hip, and spine Osteoarthritis. Summary: High-value physical therapy care – including patient education, exercise therapy (covering strength training; neuromuscular control; aerobic exercise; and flexibility exercises), weight management support, and behaviour change – consistently reduces pain and improves function for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA). Adjunct interventions such as manual therapy, taping/bracing, and aquatic therapy can help further enhance outcomes for selected patients. Whether modalities (e.g. transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound, heat/cold therapy) provide relief on a short-term basis in individual cases is open to question; but, generally speaking, they are considered secondary to active care. Telerehabilitation and mixed digital programs deliver results that are just as good as those from face-to-face treatment, provided the programs are well-structured and supervised. Conclusion: Physical Therapy as a first-line treatment of OA, offers clinically meaningful short-to medium-term benefits with excellent safety and cost-effectiveness. To guarantee positive outcomes, it is important to ensure compliance and adjust dose along with lifestyle modifications and psychosocial strategies.