Relevance of balneotherapy for osteoarthritis — a systematic literature review covering the past 5 years

A 2025 systematic review published in the Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift, covering the last five years of balneotherapy research for osteoarthritis. Published alongside a companion review on back pain (Crevenna 2025) from the same research group at the Medical University of Vienna, this pair provides the most current systematic snapshot of the musculoskeletal balneotherapy evidence base.

Scope and Method

1124 articles were screened. 13 met inclusion criteria — all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-randomized controlled trials (QRCTs). Using RCTs and QRCTs as the inclusion floor is a meaningful quality filter: observational studies and case reports, which dominate the older balneotherapy literature, were excluded. PEDro scores ranged from 5 to 10, representing fair to excellent methodological quality.

What It Found

The 13 included trials confirm positive effects of balneotherapy on pain and function in osteoarthritis. The finding is consistent with the earlier meta-analyses (Bender 2013, Karagülle 2007) and extends the evidence through 2024. The volume of qualifying RCTs — 13 published in five years — also indicates that balneotherapy research has continued to mature in methodology.

Why It Matters Now

Evidence quality in this field has historically been a weakness — many older balneotherapy trials lacked adequate controls, blinding, or follow-up. A systematic review that specifically requires RCT/QRCT design and reports PEDro scores signals that the field is maturing. For this site, keilani-2025 is the most current and methodologically qualified reference for the claim that balneotherapy has positive evidence for osteoarthritis.