Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of chronic pain in adults over 50. The good news: surgery is rarely the first option.

Therapist guiding a knee strengthening exercise
Supervised quadriceps and glute work is the cornerstone of conservative knee OA care.

What's actually happening

Cartilage that cushions the joint slowly wears down. Over time this leads to friction, swelling, and stiffness — especially after long periods of inactivity, climbing stairs, or sitting cross-legged.

Step-wise non-surgical care

  1. Activity modification + weight management — every kilogram lost takes ~4 kg of pressure off the knee.
  2. Quadriceps and glute strengthening — supervised physiotherapy beats home YouTube routines because form matters.
  3. Intra-articular injections — hyaluronic acid for lubrication, PRP for tissue healing, corticosteroid for acute flares.
  4. Regenerative options — platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and, in select cases, stem cell therapy.
  5. Ultrasound-guided procedures — for accuracy and safety.

When to consider surgery

Only when conservative care has failed for 6+ months and X-ray shows severe joint space narrowing.

Take-home

Don't accept knee pain as 'just age.' A proper assessment and a graded plan can give you another decade of mobility.