[Guideline for diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of early-stage knee osteoarthritis (2024 edition)].

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is common in middle-aged and elderly populations, with typical symptoms including knee joint pain, deformity, and restricted movement. The concept of early KOA (EKOA) is ambiguous, and clinical diagnosis and treatment are often overlooked. The diagnosis and effective prevention of EKOA can help delay the progression of the disease and reduce the incidence of mid-to-late stage KOA. To standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of EKOA, the Osteoarthrosis Committee of Chinese Aging Well Association has initiated the development of non-operative treatment guidelines for EKOA, selecting key clinical issues of concern to clinicians, including the definition, diagnosis, and non-operative treatment and strategies for EKOA. Ultimately, a total of 13 recommendations were formulated with the aim of raising the level and scientificity of EKOA diagnosis and treatment, thereby delaying the progression of EKOA in patients, improving their quality of life, and reducing the societal burden of the disease.