Valued at USD 9.34 billion in 2024, the osteoarthritis market is projected to reach USD 10.12 billion in 2025 and USD 21.22 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period 2025–2034. Growth is supported by the launch of analgesic medications, advances in radiographic imaging diagnostics, higher spending on healthcare infrastructure and rising investment in research and development for new diagnostics and biomarkers.

Why the Osteoarthritis Market Is Expanding

Osteoarthritis affects the knees, hips, fingers, feet, back, shoulders and neck, and is characterized by progressive deterioration of joint cartilage. Common symptoms include stiffness, edema, chronic pain, reduced flexibility and sleep disruption. Sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, obesity and elevated blood sugar raise risk, while a rising senior population is more susceptible. Easy availability of MRI images, one of the diagnostic methods used alongside X-ray, arthroscopy, joint fluid analysis and laboratory tests, is a further growth-promoting element for the osteoarthritis market.

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Knee Osteoarthritis: The Fastest-Growing Disease Segment

By disease type, the market covers knee, spine, foot and ankle, shoulder and hand osteoarthritis. The knee osteoarthritis segment is expected to witness the fastest growth, supported by its rising prevalence and its status as a leading cause of old-age impairment worldwide. Rising FDA approvals for knee treatments also boost the segment. In September 2021, Novartis stated that LNA043 received fast-track designation from the U.S. FDA for knee osteoarthritis; it is being developed as a potentially first-in-class disease-modifying therapy.

Viscosupplementation Agents and Pain Management Drugs

Under treatment type, drugs include viscosupplementation agents, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and corticosteroids, alongside assistive devices. Viscosupplementation agents accounted for the highest market share in 2024. They relieve osteoarthritis pain by injecting synovial fluid into affected joints to improve lubrication, and new agents, together with government initiatives promoting healthcare research, are expected to support strong expansion. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are segmented into naproxen, aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, while analgesics include duloxetine and acetaminophen.

Analgesics and Corticosteroids in Everyday Practice

Osteoarthritis pain is frequently treated with topical, oral and injectable analgesics, and the widespread use of painkillers is a key growth factor because of their convenience of administration and affordable pricing. Oral options include acetaminophen, NSAIDs, intra-articular agents and nutraceuticals, whereas orthopedic braces serve as a noninvasive complement. Corticosteroids remain a defined drug class within the segmentation, although the report notes that their use declined during the COVID-19 outbreak because of concerns about a temporarily less active immune system after injection.

Regional Dynamics

Polaris reports that Europe dominated osteoarthritis treatment in 2024, attributing its share to higher disease prevalence, an aging population, rising obesity rates and growing sports- and accident-related injuries. North America is expected to see significant growth, driven by increasing chronic disease incidence, a larger elderly population and lifestyle changes. According to the CDC, osteoarthritis affects 32.5 million adults in the U.S., and 18.7 million of them, more than half, are of working age (18–64 years). Reimbursement guidelines and new therapies further support regional expansion.

Constraints and Opportunities

Osteoarthritis high development costs limit growth, and commercialization of alternatives is cited among restraints in the report framework. Opportunities arise from AI, which supports earlier and more accurate diagnosis through machine learning, assists drug discovery and clinical trials by identifying novel targets and screening candidates efficiently, and is expected to expand telehealth and digital health opportunities. For manufacturers, aligning pipelines with knee-specific demand and injectable and oral analgesic formats appears central to capturing growth.

Key Players and Recent Developments

Major participants include ABIOGEN PHARMA S.p.A, Assertio Therapeutics, Inc., Abbott Laboratories Incorporation, Apotex Inc., Ampio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bayer AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Horizon Therapeutics plc, Johnson & Johnson, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mylan N.V., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, Sanofi SA, Tolmar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Zimmer Biomet Holding. In July 2025, Johnson & Johnson MedTech announced an agreement with Pacira BioSciences to expand its Early Intervention portfolio for knee osteoarthritis with ZILRETTA, an extended-release injectable.

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