Osteoarthritis

Researchers have found that osteoarthritis is caused by the depletion of specialized gene-expressing cartilage-forming stem cells and found a way to treat and reverse the condition, instead of just managing its symptoms.

A study has found that methotrexate, a widely available and affordable drug that’s usually prescribed as a first-line treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, is effective at reducing the pain and stiffness suffered by people with hand osteoarthritis.

Scientists investigating new treatments for hand osteoarthritis have made promising new inroads through research on a drug originally developed for acne and psoriasis, with work now underway to ascertain its potential as a new clinical therapy.

A common diabetes drug has been linked to a reduction in the need for joint replacement surgery. The observational study suggests the drug could be helpful for patients with osteoarthritis, although further clinical work is needed to validate the association.

A pair of new studies have revealed evidence corticosteroid injections can hasten progression of knee osteoarthritis. The research, yet to be peer-reviewed and published, indicates hyaluronic acid injections may be a better pain relief option.

Treatments for osteoarthritis-related knee pain range from medication all the way up to knee joint replacement. The recently trialled Misha Knee System is intended to help fill the gap between those extremes, by acting as an implanted shock absorber.

When it comes to the different ways of exercising the human body, walking is about as accessible as they come, and new research suggests it could be a powerful way to tackle osteoarthritis in the knees.

Scientists have developed an injectable gel that can prevent a form of injury-triggered osteoarthritis taking hold, by allowing for sustained delivery of drugs in the damaged joints to keep inflammation at bay.

Researchers have identified a signaling pathway involved with osteoarthritis pain. A study in mice found that normal limb use returned after this pathway was blocked, which could lead to new pain treatments for patients with osteoarthritis.

By stimulating cells to reproduce, electricity has already been shown to help heal soft tissue injuries. Now, an electricity-producing implantable material likewise appears to boost the regrowth of cartilage in compromised joints.

Ice in and of itself isn't slippery – it becomes slippery when friction causes a thin layer of liquid water to form on top of it. Scientists have now applied that same principle to an injectable medication that could be used to treat osteoarthritis.

A new, dissolving, textile-based stem cell implant has reduced pain and restored hip joint function to dogs with moderate osteoarthritis, in what researchers say could be a first step toward less invasive joint resurfacing in dogs as well as humans.