Osteoclast inhibitors for knee conditions

1. A method of treating an osteoarthritis of the knee comprising:

a. selecting a patient having an osteoarthritis of the knee and OARSI Grade 0 or Kellgren and Lawrence Grade 0 or Grade 1 of joint space narrowing; and

b. administering an inhibitor of osteoclast activity to a human being in need thereof, wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is olpadronic acid, minodronic acid, incadronic acid, or alendronic acid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein about 1 mq to about 500 mq of the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered within a period of two months.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is olpadronic acid.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is minodronic acid.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is incadronic acid.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is alendronic acid.

7. A method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered at least twice, and about every three months, or more frequently.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered orally.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered intravenously.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered as a salt.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered once weekly for a period of six weeks.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the each oral dose comprises about 10 mg to about 300 mg of the inhibitor of osteoclast activity.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the human being to which the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered does not eat food or drink beverage for at least 30 minutes after the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered.

14. A method of treating osteoarthritis of the knee comprising administering an inhibitor of osteoclast activity to a human being in need thereof, wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is olpadronic acid, minodronic acid, incadronic acid, or alendronic acid, and wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered at least twice, and the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered about every three months, or more frequently.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered orally.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is co-administered with a steroid.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the steroid is prednisone.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is olpadronic acid.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is minodronic acid.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is incadronic acid.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is alendronic acid.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered daily.

23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered weekly.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered monthly.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered intravenously.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein the inhibitor of osteoclast activity is administered as a salt.

27. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dose of the steroid is about 1 to about 500 mg.

28. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dose of steroid is about 5 mg to about 25 mg.

29. The method of claim 15 , wherein the each oral dose comprises about 1 mg to about 100 mg of the inhibitor of osteoclast activity.

30. The method of claim 14 , wherein about 40 mg to about 400 mg of the osteoclast inhibitor is administered within a period of one month.