Volume 30, Issue 168, February 2026

Conservative and Surgical Management of Knee Osteoarthritis (Gonarthrosis)

Aleksandra Bilińska^1♦, Ewa Gloc², Dominika Dmowska³, Rafał Ejsner⁴, Mateusz Mierniczek⁵, Maria Mierniczek⁶, Paweł Zdebski⁷, Urszula Marzec⁸, Daniel Załęski⁹

¹Medical University of Lodz, Kosciuszki 4, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
²Bonifrater Centre of Lodz, Kosynierów Gdynskich 61, 93-357, Lodz, Poland
³Medical Center HCP John Paul II ,28 Czerwca 1956 r., 61-001 Poznan, Poland
⁴Dr. Karol Jonscher Municipal Medical Center, Milionowa 14, 93-113 Lodz, Poland
⁵St. Raphael’s Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Czerwona Góra, Czerwona Góra 10, 26-060 Chęciny, Poland
⁶St. Raphael’s Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Czerwona Góra, Czerwona Góra 10, 26-060 Chęciny, Poland
⁷Poznan University of Medical Sciences; Poland
⁸Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński Provincial Specialist Hospital SPZOZ in Lublin, Aleja Kraśnicka 100, 20-718 Lublin, Poland
⁹Baptism of Poland Memorial Hospital in Gniezno, 3 Maja 37, 62-200 Gniezno, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Aleksandra Bilinska, Medical University of Lodz, Kosciuszki 4, 90-419 Lodz, Poland

ABSTRACT

Knee osteoarthritis, also known as gonarthrosis, is a common joint condition that causes cartilage breakdown. It often leads to pain, limited movement, and a lower quality of life. The incidence of this disease is increasing, and it is fundamental to create evidence-based treatment plans. We conducted a narrative review of the literature, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and updated clinical guidelines, published between 2014 and 2021, from the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, possible causes, diagnosis, and treatment of knee osteoarthritis. For the early and moderate stages of the disease, the conservative treatment is the primary strategy. This approach includes lifestyle changes, weight loss, medication, injections, physiotherapy, and supplementary devices. These methods relieve pain and improve function, but provide only a temporary solution. Surgery is necessary for more advanced stages of the disease. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the most definitive and long-lasting treatment. Other, less invasive procedures suitable for patients with limited compartment degeneration include unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) and high tibial osteotomy (HTO). HTO is a preferred method for young patients with bone misalignment. Surgical procedures have higher complication rates but better long-term outcomes than conservative treatments. Combining conservative and surgical approaches can improve clinical outcomes. More high-quality studies are needed to improve care guidelines.

Keywords: knee osteoarthritis, gonarthrosis, conservative treatment, surgical treatment, knee arthroplasty

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e28ms3816

PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v30i168.e28ms3816

Published: 09 February 2026