Overview of treatment options for arthritis in the active patient

The understanding of arthritis and possible treatment options continues to improve. This article discusses classification of articular cartilage degen eration, osteochondral defects, osteotomy, and a variety of treatments. Dev elopments in the study of growth factors, molecular biology, and gene thera py make the future bright; it is contingent, however, on critical factors s uch as controlled studies, accurate inclusion criteria, outcome measurement , and long-term follow-up.