The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has updated its Guidelines for the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis.
The latest recommendations indicate that people with osteoarthritis should adopt a combination of lifestyle changes and regular exercise.
The guidelines also indicate that cognitive behavioural therapy may be appropriate to help some people manage symptoms of the condition.
Some medications commonly used to manage osteoarthritis symptoms have also been reviewed. Paracetamol has been identified as being of little clinical value and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; eg ibuprofen), taken orally at low doses for short periods are likely to be more effective.
With more than two million Australians affected by the degenerative joint condition, the updated guidelines provide important information to GPs looking to help their clients impacted by the painful and frustrating symptoms of osteoarthritis.