Ranking Physical Therapy Modalities for Knee Osteoarthritis: What a Network Meta-Analysis of 74 Randomized Trials Reports

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who treat adults with knee osteoarthritis and who want a plain-language account of how the common modalities compare when they are ranked against the same outcomes.

Licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in outpatient orthopedic, hospital-based, home health and community wellness settings. The content is also relevant to athletic trainers, occupational therapists and rehabilitation managers who work with knee osteoarthritis populations.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of a single published systematic review and network meta-analysis. All figures, rankings and certainty ratings described in the course come from that paper.

Zhang S, Ge Y, Bi Z, Li Y, Bai C, Zhang F, Tian M, Tian Y, Zhang K, Li X, Zhu Y. Effectiveness of physical therapies for patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025;12:1714912. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1714912. PMID: 41426589. PMCID: PMC12711732.

Review protocol registered with PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023458296.

Scope note

This course is an appraisal and plain-language summary of one review. It does not provide treatment protocols, dosing instruction or hands-on technique training, and it does not substitute for clinical judgment or for the guidelines of any professional body.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the population, the interventions and the comparators included in this network meta-analysis of physical therapies for knee osteoarthritis.
2. Name the therapies the authors reported as ranking highest for pain outcomes and for WOMAC total score, and state at which follow-up windows those rankings applied.
3. Explain the certainty and safety limitations the authors placed on their own conclusions, including what they said is still needed from future research.

1. Start Here: course overview, objectives and how to earn credit
2. Podcast episode: Ranking the Modalities for Knee Osteoarthritis (about nine minutes)
3. Why Compare Knee Osteoarthritis Modalities Head to Head
4. How the Review Was Built and What Counted as Evidence
5. Which Therapies Ranked Highest, and on Which Outcomes
6. Safety Signals and Where the Evidence Runs Thin
7. What the Findings Could Mean in Day-to-Day Practice
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-test and course evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course reports the findings of a single published systematic review and network meta-analysis. All figures, rankings and certainty ratings described in the course come from that paper.
2. Zhang S, Ge Y, Bi Z, Li Y, Bai C, Zhang F, Tian M, Tian Y, Zhang K, Li X, Zhu Y. Effectiveness of physical therapies for patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025;12:1714912. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1714912. PMID: 41426589. PMCID: PMC12711732.
3. Review protocol registered with PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023458296.
4. Scope note
5. This course is an appraisal and plain-language summary of one review. It does not provide treatment protocols, dosing instruction or hands-on technique training, and it does not substitute for clinical judgment or for the guidelines of any professional body.