Optimizing Osteoarthritis Care: A Review of Multimodal Physical Therapy on Long Term Patient’s Outcome

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent, chronic musculoskeletal condition and a leading cause of pain, functional limitation, and reduced quality of life, especially among older adults. Traditional physical therapy (PT) for OA typically emphasizes exercise routines and symptom relief strategies. However, growing attention is being directed toward multimodal physical therapy (MPT)—an integrative approach that combines manual therapy, structured exercise, and patient education. This comprehensive model seeks to address not only the physical impairments associated with OA but also the behavioural and educational components that influence long-term disease management. Method: A systematic review was conducted using the Semantic Scholar database. Studies were included if they involved adult populations with OA, used MPT interventions, had a comparator group receiving standard PT or usual care, included a follow-up of at least six months, and reported outcomes related to pain, function, or quality of life. Ten eligible studies were identified, including randomized controlled trials and one systematic review. Result: Of the ten studies, five reported that MPT led to significant short-term improvements in pain and function compared to standard care. However, long-term findings were mixed. Only three studies showed sustained benefits beyond 12 months, while four reported no significant differences between MPT and standard PT over time. Manual therapy was found to be particularly effective in the short term but showed inconsistent long-term value across studies. Conclusion: MPT appears to offer superior short-term outcomes in OA management compared to standard PT. Nonetheless, its long-term benefits remain inconclusive. More high-quality, long-term studies with adherence tracking and patient subgroup analysis are needed to fully assess the sustained value of MPT and to determine which individuals are most likely to benefit from this multimodal approach.