Exercise & strength
NICE recommends tailored therapeutic exercise for people with osteoarthritis. It can improve function and support confidence with movement.
Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee Osteoarthritis: Treatment Options
A practical, evidence-based guide to managing knee osteoarthritis — from exercise and symptom control through to injections and knee replacement when appropriate.
Personalised treatmentNon-surgical care · injections where appropriate · replacement when indicated
Quick Answer
What is the best treatment for knee osteoarthritis?
There is no single best treatment for everyone. Management depends on symptoms, the pattern of arthritis, general health, previous treatment and what you want to achieve.
A stepped approach may include
- education and activity modification
- therapeutic exercise
- weight management when relevant
- appropriate pain-relieving medicines
- selected injection treatments
- partial or total knee replacement when symptoms remain severe
Treatment Pathway
Start with the least invasive option likely to help
Treatment should be proportionate to the severity and impact of symptoms rather than driven by imaging alone.
Weight management
Where appropriate, reducing excess body weight can improve symptoms and reduce load through the knee.
Medicines & injections
Options depend on individual risk and previous treatment. Injection treatments should be discussed with realistic expectations about evidence and duration of benefit.
Do injections cure knee arthritis?
No injection has been shown to reverse osteoarthritis or regrow lost cartilage. Some injections may reduce symptoms for a period of time in selected patients, but the evidence, expected duration of benefit and risks differ between products.
Read about knee injections, including Arthrosamid, and the limits of the evidence →
When is knee replacement considered?
If pain, stiffness and loss of function have a substantial effect on quality of life despite appropriate non-surgical care, knee replacement assessment may be reasonable. Depending on the pattern of arthritis, options can include partial or total knee replacement.
Why specialist assessment matters
The same X-ray can produce very different symptoms in different people. A consultation helps establish whether the pain is coming from osteoarthritis, which compartment is affected, whether there are other causes and which treatment options are proportionate.
Your treatment should fit your symptoms and goals. Options are discussed in the context of current evidence, suitability and alternatives.
Evidence & Further Reading
Core guidance
This page follows current NICE recommendations for osteoarthritis management.
NICE NG226 — Osteoarthritis in over 16s
Therapeutic exercise, weight management, medicines, injections and referral for joint replacement.
View NICE guidance →NICE NG157 — Primary joint replacement
Shared decision-making and options for partial or total knee replacement.
View NICE guidance →
