Nine out of 10 Australians with knee osteoarthritis could avoid surgery through targeted exercise programs, potentially saving taxpayers billions of dollars as knee replacement costs spiral toward $5.32 billion by the decade’s end.
In a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study published last month, researchers analysed the cost benefits for patients with knee osteoarthritis who undertook physiotherapy management and compared that to knee replacement surgery.
The study found that the former could save Australia’s healthcare system $100 million annually.
Meanwhile, knee replacement surgery would cost the federal government $5.32 billion by 2030, according to economic forecasts.
Researchers also found that physiotherapist-led exercise programs are rarely subsidised by the federal government, which can push people towards surgical options before other conservative management approaches are considered....
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