Introduction Knee osteoarthritis is a relevant health problem given its high prevalence and associated disability. Within the non-pharmacological management alternatives, the use of sticks has been proposed, however there is no consensus in the literature regarding their indication. Methods To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by searching multiple sources of information, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from identified reviews, reanalyzed data from primary studies, performed meta-analysis, prepared summary tables of results using the GRADE method. Results and conclusions We identified three systematic reviews that together included four primary studies, one of which is a randomized trial. We conclude that the use of the contralateral cane in patients with knee osteoarthritis probably decreases pain. Also, it might slightly increase functionality, but the certainty of the evidence is low.