This systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials concluded that intra-articular corticosteroid injections for knee osteoarthritis only provide clinically meaningful pain relief and functional improvement for up to six weeks. While the injections showed statistically superior results to placebos for up to three months, the actual degree of improvement failed to reach the “minimal clinically important difference” threshold beyond the short-term period. Due to this rapid decline in clinical relevance and the limited quality of available evidence, the authors suggest that the standard use of these injections in clinical practice should be reconsidered.
