Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care · Published 2026-07-04 · DOI 10.1080/02813432.2026.2688368
Astrid Maria Carolina Trulsson, Torsten Risør, Susanne Reventlow, Søren Thorgaard Skou, Anne Møller
Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition and public health concern. Guidelines recommend non-surgical treatments – such as education, exercise and weight management – as core elements of OA management; however, uptake remains low. General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in delivery, yet little is known about how GPs navigate OA treatments in the Scandinavian context.Aim To explore Danish GPs’ perceptions and experiences of knee OA management, focusing on treatments and referral, and to identify key barriers and facilitators to delivering guideline-recommended treatments.Methods Twelve semi-structured online interviews were conducted with GPs and GP trainees. Participants were recruited through a combination of convenience and self-selection sampling. Data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis.Results Four themes were identified: (1) knowledge and practice extend beyond guidelines, (2) non-surgical treatments are limited and inconsistently provided, (3) conceptual and relational tensions are negotiated and (4) fostering patient motivation is challenging.Conclusion GPs displayed generally up-to-date knowledge of core non-surgical treatments, although familiarity with referral criteria was more variable. They held positive attitudes toward exercise and physiotherapy-led treatment, but experienced limited active dissemination of guidelines. Structural barriers, including fragmented pathways and uneven municipal services limited delivery of non-surgical treatments. Weight loss was viewed as effective in relieving joint pain but an unsustainable treatment focus, highlighting the need for a feasible, weight-inclusive approach to weight management. Strengthening cross-sector coordination, developing and implementing multidisciplinary OA services as well as clarifying where responsibility for fostering patient motivation should be placed, may enhance delivery of non-surgical care.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Trulsson, A., Risør, T., Reventlow, S., et al. (2026). General practitioners’ perceptions and experiences of knee osteoarthritis management: a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to delivering guideline-recommended treatments. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. https://doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2026.2688368