Osteoarthritis(OA) of knee joint is a common disease that causes significant disability. Most
patients can be managed conservatively in the outpatient setting. The global
prevalence of radio graphically confirmed symptomatic knee OA in 2010 was
estimated to be 3.8%. It was higher in females (4.8%) than in males. In the
USA, 33.6% people aged more than 65 years were found to have osteoarthritis of
knees. [3] In south Asian region the prevalence of OA of knees is 1.8% in males
and 3.1% in females. With the aging of the world’s population, especially in
Low & Middle Income Countries (LMIC), the number of people living with knee
OA is anticipated to increase substantially over coming decades. Osteoarthritismanagement in the developed countries is focused on developing patient-specific
surgical instrumentation for knee arthroplasty, post-operative supervised
exercise programs, and other potentially expensive healthcare modality. In the
LMIC, lacking of appropriate healthcare infrastructure or inability to fund
expensive treatment of arthroplasty for osteoarthritis can hardly afford to benefit from such advanced method. In the
high income country (HIC) treatment modalities often include arthroplasty
techniques. Patient specific instruments are unproven and not widely used.
Computerguided knee replacement is used in some centres but the benefit is not really
proven. Unfortunately, ongoing registered trials, largely, are not being
conducted to address the research gaps that could have a worldwide influence.
However, this issue may not be the fault of individual orthopedic investigators.
The researchers in orthopaedics and related fields should heighten efforts to
increase awareness and promote better screening of osteoarthritis, in the
attempt to initiate treatment sooner and delay the progression of the
debilitating effects of the disease.
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