by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

©2014, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

A new nonsurgical approach to treating chronic pain and stiffness associated with knee osteoarthritis has demonstrated significant, lasting improvement in knee pain, function, and stiffness. This safe, two-solution treatment delivered in a series of injections into and around the knee joint is called prolotherapy, and is described in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

David Rabago, MD, and a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and Meriter Health Services, Madison, WI, report substantial improvement among participants in the one-year study who received at least three of the two-solution injections. Symptom improvement ranged from 19.5-42.9% compared to baseline status.

As described in the article "Dextrose and Morrhuate Sodium Injections (Prolotherapy) for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Open-Label Trial", reported improvement in knee pain, function, and stiffness scores exceeded the minimum for a "clinically important difference" in 50-75% of patients.

More information: The article is available free on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine website.

Journal information: Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 

Provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc