Balneotherapy Improves Quality of Life in People with Osteoarthritis: New Evidence from Medical Spa Centers in Trentino, Italy

By Dr. Michele Antonelli, MD - July 20, 2026

A new multicenter study conducted in five certified medical spa centers in Trentino, Italy (Terme di Levico, Terme Dolomia, Terme di Pejo, Terme di Comano and Terme di Rabbi), confirms the value of balneotherapy as a complementary treatment for people with osteoarthritis, one of the most common and disabling chronic diseases worldwide.

Published in the International Journal of Biometeorology, the study involved 316 patients who completed a two-week course of balneotherapy consisting of 12 daily sessions of thermal bathing at 37 °C. Researchers assessed not only changes in pain and joint stiffness but also health-related quality of life (HRQoL), an increasingly important outcome in the management of chronic diseases.

The results showed significant improvements in both the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life. These benefits were largely maintained three months after the completion of treatment. At the same time, pain and joint stiffness were reduced by more than 40%, confirming the positive effects of thermal therapy on the main symptoms of osteoarthritis.

One of the study's most noteworthy findings was the reduction in the use of symptomatic medications. Three months after treatment, more than half of the participants had reduced their use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs to less than once a week. The study also demonstrated that the treatment was well tolerated, with no significant differences between women and men.

Although this was an observational study, the findings add to the growing body of scientific evidence supporting balneotherapy as a safe and effective complementary intervention for the management of osteoarthritis. In addition to relieving pain and joint stiffness, thermal therapy contributes to improving overall well-being and may help reduce patients' reliance on symptomatic pharmacological treatments.

These findings further reinforce the increasingly important role of balneology within an integrated, patient-centered approach to osteoarthritis care, in line with the goals of healthy ageing.

View of Terme di Levico (TN)

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Bibliographic Reference

Manica, P., Antonelli, M., Zatelli, F., et al. Effects of a Balneotherapy Cycle on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Osteoarthritis: An Observational Multicenter Study in Medical Spa Centers in Trentino, Italy. International Journal of Biometeorology, 70, 216 (2026).