1. The usual deformities attendant on arthritis result from flexion and are preventable if treatment by splints is begun early.
2. Correction of deformity is often possible by means of a series of splints.
3. Orthopaedic manipulation is sometimes successful in correcting contraction.
4. Operations such as arthroplasties, posterior capsuloplasties, synovectomies, and arthrodeses can be successfully employed in cases of chronic arthritis.
5. The patient must be so balanced as to posture that future strain will not cause recurrence of joint symptoms.
6. Until the patient is thoroughly trained in how to live, the aftercare for several years is perhaps the most important part of the treatment.