Additional Benefits of Creatine Supplementation with Physical Therapy and Resistance Exercise in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Osama M, et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine

Creatine added to physical therapy improved pain (VAS, P=0.001), overall KOOS, isometric strength and fall risk (P<0.001) more than physical therapy alone over 4 weeks. Three endpoints did not separate: the KOOS quality-of-life subscale, knee range of motion, and the five-repetition sit-to-stand — both arms improved on those, at the same rate.

Population

Adults 40-70 with knee OA up to Kellgren-Lawrence grade III (20 per group)

Intervention

Creatine monohydrate 20 g/day for one week then 5 g/day for three, plus physical therapy (heat, electrotherapy, manual therapy, resistance exercise)

Comparator

Maltodextrin placebo plus identical physical therapy

Limitations

Small (n=40) and very short (4 weeks); multiple co-interventions; effect durability unknown; recent single-centre trial not yet replicated.