Delegates at this year’s Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Congress have been told that physiotherapy should be at the heart of osteoarthritis treatment in local communities.

Physiotherapist George Peat has spent a decade researching the condition and believes from his evidence that physical exercise is the most beneficial therapy but it is vastly underused as a treatment in managing osteoarthritis.

Dr Peat’s study identified that in any one group of a thousand people, 470 would report knee pain but only 47 would see a physiotherapist for the problem preferring medication to exercise or weight loss.

Delegates were then told about the misconceptions of osteoarthritis. Dr Peat said many people believe the condition is inevitable due to ageing and is just the body’s response to natural ‘wear and tear’.

He then added that physical therapy should be involved as a ‘wear and repair’ treatment for osteoarthritis as exercise has considerable benefits. He also did not believe that the answer to osteoarthritis should always be sought from joint replacement.

To find out more about physiotherapy and to find a physiotherapist near to you click here

Find a local practitioner