Patients with arthritic pain particularly benefit from water exercises or aerobics. Typically these require close physician supervision. Direct injections in the joint can give varying lengths of relief from arthritis. However, their effectiveness has not been proven in scientific literature. No known major complications.
Studies are pending.
It should be considered in patients with adversly affecting there lifestyle who have failed more conservative measures. It is also used in patients with advancing deformity of their limb. An alternative to artificial joints in which the patient's bone is cut and repositioned to put good cartilage in weight bearing areas. More commonly used in younger patients. May be valuable in patients with limited areas of cartilage loss.