Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee is commonly managed by Australian GPs.¹

Research has shown that OA management is suboptimal worldwide, with underuse of recommended core lifestyle treatments, such as exercise, and overuse of drugs and surgery, including ineffective arthroscopy and joint replacement without an appropriate trial of non-surgical care.^2-4

In this article, we summarise current recommendations for best-practice hip and knee OA conservative care, drawing on research evidence, as well as the most recent RACGP guidelines (see GP resources at the end of this article) and the clinical care standards produced by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.⁶

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting more than two million Australians, around half of whom are of working age.⁷