How Long Does It Typically Take for Knee Pain to Resolve?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

Knee pain can get better in a few weeks for some people, but for others it might last much longer. The time needed to feel better depends on the cause of the pain and the treatments used.

Explanation

The length of time it takes for knee pain to resolve is not the same for every person. When the knee pain comes from a minor injury, it might take a few weeks to feel better if the knee is rested and treated properly. However, when the pain is due to knee osteoarthritis (a condition where the joint wears down over time), the pain can last for months or even be a long-lasting issue. Studies show that knee pain from osteoarthritis can have varying intensity over time, with some patients noticing pain getting worse for a while. Treatments like physical therapy, medications, or sometimes injections can help manage pain, but may not make it go away quickly. Factors such as how severe the knee damage is, the person’s overall health, and how they protect or use their knee will affect recovery time. In simple words, getting better depends a lot on why your knee hurts and what steps you take to help it heal.

(References)

Collins JE, Yang YH, Opare-Addo MB, Losina E. Quantifying sustained pain worsening in knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2023 Jun;31(6):802-808. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2023.03.012. Epub 2023 Apr 5. PMID: 37024069; PMCID: PMC10200767.
Lespasio MJ, Piuzzi NS, Husni ME, Muschler GF, Guarino A, Mont MA. Knee Osteoarthritis: A Primer. Perm J. 2017;21:16-183. doi: 10.7812/TPP/16-183. PMID: 29035179; PMCID: PMC5638628.
Hunter CW, Deer TR, Jones MR, Chang Chien GC, D'Souza RS, Davis T, Eldon ER, Esposito MF, Goree JH, Hewan-Lowe L, Maloney JA, Mazzola AJ, Michels JS, Layno-Moses A, Patel S, Tari J, Weisbein JS, Goulding KA, Chhabra A, Hassebrock J, Wie C, Beall D, Sayed D, Strand N. Consensus Guidelines on Interventional Therapies for Knee Pain (STEP Guidelines) from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience. J Pain Res. 2022 Sep 8;15:2683-2745. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S370469. PMID: 36132996; PMCID: PMC9484571.

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