{"id":1218,"date":"2026-03-09T11:20:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T10:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/supporthomedical.nl\/innovations-in-osteoarthritis-joint-preservation\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T09:00:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T08:00:44","slug":"innovations-in-osteoarthritis-joint-preservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/supporthomedical.nl\/en\/innovations-in-osteoarthritis-joint-preservation\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovations in Osteoarthritis & Joint Preservation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new reality in osteoarthritis care<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Newsletter for physicians interested in regenerative orthopedics, March 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The treatment of knee osteoarthritis is at a turning point. For years, everything revolved around rapid symptom management: slightly less pain, slightly less swelling, and then hoping the joint would remain quiet for the time being. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that this strategy does not align with what we now know about osteoarthritis biology. Sustainable results are not achieved by dampening symptoms, but through interventions that structurally support<\/strong> the joint and actually improve the synovial environment. <\/p>\n

Yet, we see a striking paradox in daily practice. While guidelines advise being cautious<\/strong> with corticosteroids, they are still used on a massive scale in the Netherlands \u2014 in 2024 alone, over 70,000 knee injections<\/strong> were administered. Caution? Or simply the result of insured care, in which treatments that actually align with modern joint preservation often fall outside of reimbursement? <\/p>\n

In any case, the literature is increasingly clear: repeated use of corticosteroids has little place in contemporary osteoarthritis treatment, except in exceptional situations. And that is not because there are no alternatives \u2014 on the contrary. In recent years, therapies have been developed that precisely meet the needs of an osteoarthritic joint: restoration of synovial balance, inhibition of inflammation, and support of natural biomechanics<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

In this newsletter, we zoom in on two of those options: hyaluronic acid<\/strong> and Arthrosamid\u00ae<\/strong>. Hyaluronic acid is often underestimated, even though its effectiveness is highly dependent on molecular weight, dosage, and CD44 activation. Additionally, we discuss how the synovium \u2014 long viewed as a passive lining \u2014 actually plays a central role in pain, inflammation, and the progression of osteoarthritis, and how Arthrosamid\u00ae, as a synovial implant, intervenes precisely there. <\/p>\n

Enjoy the read,<\/p>\n

Paul<\/p>\n

Paul van der Wielen MSc BSc<\/p>\n

Supportho Medical BV.
\nMobile +31653256063<\/a> <\/u>(WhatsApp)
\n<\/u>Email paul@supporthomedical.nl<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

Corticosteroids in one minute<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Newsletter for physicians interested in regenerative orthopedics, March 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Corticosteroids have held a steady place in osteoarthritis care for years, primarily due to their rapid analgesic effect. However, modern literature paints a different picture. The well-known JAMA study by McAlindon demonstrates this clearly: patients who received intra-articular triamcinolone every 3 months<\/strong> lost significantly more cartilage<\/strong> over two years than the placebo group \u2014 without any superior improvement in pain. MRI images even confirmed accelerated structural decline. <\/p>\n

This means that the temporary relief provided by corticosteroids comes at a price: acceleration of cartilage degradation<\/strong>. And that is precisely why they only fit very selectively into a modern treatment path aimed at joint preservation. Especially in an era where regenerative and structural interventions \u2014 such as high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid or synovial implants like Arthrosamid\u00ae \u2014 do contribute to synovial stability and biological quiescence. <\/p>\n

In short: corticosteroids can help in the short term but harm in the long term. In regenerative orthopedics, their role is therefore shifting from routine injection to exception<\/strong>, appropriate only when other options are temporarily unavailable. <\/p>\n

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1. Corticosteroids: guideline vs. reality<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Newsletter for physicians interested in regenerative orthopedics, March 2026
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

These developments mark a new phase in osteoarthritis care: moving away from temporary suppression toward biological stability and structural support<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Although corticosteroids are still mentioned in the Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis Guideline for short-term relief, recent literature compels caution.<\/p>\n

Effect of Intra-articular Triamcinolone vs Saline on Knee Cartilage Volume and Pain in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis A Randomized Clinical Trial
\n<\/strong>Timothy E. McAlindon et al.; JAMA. 2017<\/strong>;317(19):1967-1975. doi:10.1001\/jama.2017.5283
\n<\/span>
\nCONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE <\/span>Among patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, 2 years of intra-articular triamcinolone, compared with intra-articular saline, resulted in significantly greater cartilage volume loss and no significant difference in knee pain. These <\/span>findings do not support this treatment for patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.<\/span><\/em> <\/p>\n

In summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n