Tips for managing knee Osteoarthritis and joint pain

Although many of our joints can be troubled by Osteoarthritis, the knee is commonly affected.¹ Knee pain can affect everyday activities like walking or climbing stairs,² and it’s important to find ways to manage it. Medical guidelines recommend to manage your pain with self-help measures.^2-5

1. Exercise more

It may seem counterintuitive to exercise when knee pain occurs, but experts recommend exercise as a key step in managing the pain.^3-7 There are three types of exercise that can help:

• Strengthening. Strengthening exercises keep the muscles surrounding the knee joint strong, helping to support and protect it.³ Read the article Exercises to Help Strengthen Your Joints for more information.
• Flexibility. This type of exercise increases mobility.^1,2,5 There are specific exercises that can help improve flexibility, and it may be worthwhile taking up hobbies like T’ai Chi^5,8 and yoga to stay limber.
• Aerobic. To improve overall fitness, try aerobic exercises. Take care not to do exercises that could do further damage to the knee, such as jogging. Instead try low impact activities such as cycling, walking or swimming.⁸

Before starting any exercises, speak to a suitable qualified healthcare professional, as they may be able to help create a personal training program.

2. Pace yourself

It’s important to recognise that you may need to learn to pace yourself more when doing your daily activities,⁹ as otherwise there is a risk that you’ll overdo things and cause more damage to your knee. It might take time and a bit of practice getting the balance right between doing and taking the regular rests your knee needs.

3. Stay in shape

Extra weight can place extra stress on the knee joint. Research shows that being overweight increases the chances of developing Osteoarthritis of the knee.¹⁰ Fortunately, losing weight can reduce these chances, lose 5 kilograms and the risks of developing Osteoarthritis of the knee reduce by 50%.¹⁰ Medical guidelines all recommend losing weight as one of the key measures to ease knee pain.^2-5

4. Manage the pain

Alongside exercise and weight loss, where mild-to-moderate pain is concerned, over-the-counter pain relievers may assist to reduce pain.3,8  Some medical guidelines recommend Paracetamol as the their preferred pain reliever of choice for the management of Osteoarthritis pain.3,10-12  

You could also try other common over-the-counter treatments to help relieve pain including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets (NSAIDs) and topical NSAIDs which can be applied directly to the knee.^2-4

Pain relievers should not be used for more than a few days at a time except under the advice of a suitably qualified healthcare professional. If you experience more severe or ongoing symptoms you should speak to suitably qualified healthcare professional for appropriate diagnosis and treatment options

Only use over-the-counter pain relievers as directed and follow the product label at all times.

5. Wear the right footwear

The right shoes can make a real difference.¹¹ Some experts recommend shock-absorbing shoes and insoles that help realign the posture of the leg.^2,3 Avoid high heels and instead choose flat shoes without heels that are lightweight and have a flexible sole.¹¹

6. Try hot and cold remedies

Applying hot packs or patches or ice packs to the knee may help to reduce pain and improve mobility. Some studies have found that heat packs may be less useful than cold packs for treating Osteoarthritis.^8,12

7. Support the knee

Knee braces or taping are recommended as an additional way of supporting the joint.^2,3,5,13,14 These can help reduce pain, make the knee feel more stable and can also improve the distance you are able to walk.^2,3,5,13,14

Visit the Panadol Osteo website and join the FREE Osteo Information Programme for helpful tips and information on staying positive, staying active and eating well.
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