Large study ranks knee braces, hydrotherapy, and exercise as top relief for knee osteoarthritis
A network meta-analysis of 139 trials involving nearly 10,000 participants finds that non-drug treatments—especially knee braces, water-based therapy, and regular exercise—offer strong relief for knee osteoarthritis and can improve pain, stiffness, and function, outperforming many high-tech options like ultrasound. While simple therapies appear most effective and may be safer and cheaper, study designs varied and more research is needed to confirm the best combinations and cost-benefit.