Everyday health Note · 4 min read

Knee pain and arthritis: what actually helps

The knee is the joint arthritis hits most. Exercise, weight and the right physio help more than people expect, and painkillers need care

The Pushpa team · 4 sources

Pushpa notes26

Knee pain on the stairsEasing

Physio exercises, every morning

Easy on the knees

“Ghutna dukhta hai” may be the most common sentence on any call with an older parent. Osteoarthritis wears down the cartilage in a joint, and the WHO says the knee is the joint it affects most: 365 million people worldwide have it in the knee. About 60% of people with osteoarthritis are women

18.8%

of Indians over 60 report a bone or joint disease, 21.8% of women (LASI Wave 1)

What helps

Exercise. It sounds backwards, but the WHO and NHS both say building strong muscles around the joint reduces symptoms. A physiotherapist can set exercises she can actually do
A healthy weight. Every extra kilo is carried by the knees
Good footwear, with a cushioned sole
Pacing the day: stairs once, not five times. A stick on the other side if she needs one

Painkillers, carefully

Paracetamol for short-term relief, never more than the maximum dose
Anti-inflammatory gels rubbed on the knee can work well, the NHS says
Anti-inflammatory tablets (NSAIDs) may not be safe with asthma, a stomach ulcer, angina, or after a heart attack or stroke. They can also affect the kidneys. Ask her doctor first

When to see the doctor

The NHS advises seeing a doctor for symptoms that persist. Note when it hurts and what makes it worse: that's what the doctor will ask

How Pushpa helpsPushpa asks about the knee on the evening call and keeps a simple record of good and bad days. The pattern goes to the family and onto the list for her next visit, so the doctor sees more than “it hurts sometimes”