Abstract

About 10% of people aged over 55 years in the UK report having some restriction of daily activity because of knee osteoarthritis, around 25% of whom are severely disabled.1 Every year, symptomatic knee osteoarthritis accounts for about 0.5% of all primary care consultations in those over 55 years, rising to 1% in those over 70 years.1 Acupuncture is increasingly being used within the NHS, particularly for painful conditions such as osteoarthritis,2^,3 but its place within mainstream healthcare remains controversial. Here we examine what, if anything, acupuncture offers in the management of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.