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Table 4 GPs’ attitudes regarding the effectiveness of OA treatment modalities

From: Agreement of general practitioners with the guideline-based stepped-care strategy for patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: a cross-sectional study

Treatment modalities

Not effective N (%)

Effective N (%)

No experience N (%)

Modalities recommended in the SCS

1. Education

45 (10)

397 (89)

5 (1)

2. Lifestyle advice

49 (11)

393 (88)

6 (1)

3. Acetaminophen

78 (17)

371 (83)

0 (0)

4. Glucosamine*

343 (76)

75 (17)

32 (7)

5. Oral NSAIDs

24 (5)

428 (95)

0 (0)

6. Topical NSAIDs

237 (53)

111 (25)

102 (23)

7. Tramadol

172 (38)

269 (60)

10 (2)

8. Physical therapy

35 (8)

416 (92)

0 (0)

9. Glucocorticoid intra-articular injections†

30 (7)

404 (90)

16 (4)

10. Hyaluronic acid intra-articular injections†

94 (21)

100 (23)

249 (56)

11. TENS‡

115 (26)

123 (27)

212 (47)

Modalities not recommended in the SCS

12. Massage

328 (73)

62 (14)

60 (13)

13. Manual therapy

280 (62)

125 (28)

45 (10)

14. Other passive physical therapy modalities§

155 (34)

175 (39)

121 (27)

  1. Abbreviations: GPs = General practitioners; OA = Osteoarthritis; N = number of GPs; SCS = Stepped-care strategy; NSAIDs = Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs; TENS = Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
  2. * The SCS suggests the possibility of a trial period of 3 months.
  3. † Intra-articular injections can be considered in patients with knee OA.
  4. ‡ The SCS only suggests TENS if exercise therapy and medication have not resulted in pain reduction.
  5. § Passive physical therapy modalities, like cold or heat therapy, ultrasound, laser or electrotherapy.