What Are the Common Treatments for Knee Pain?

Reviewed by Garrett Kneese, MD, MPH

Family Medicine

Treatments for knee pain include medicines, exercise, injections, and sometimes surgery. These methods help reduce pain, improve movement, and strengthen the knee.

Explanation

There are many ways to help a sore knee feel better. One common method is to use medicines like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. These help lower pain and swelling. Another option is physical therapy. A physical therapist can show you fun exercises to make the muscles around the knee stronger. Health experts also suggest using stretching and gentle workouts like walking or swimming. Sometimes, doctors may use injection treatments. Corticosteroid injections can help reduce pain, and other injections may help the knee move better. In cases where the pain is long-lasting and other treatments do not work well, surgery might be needed. This can include procedures to fix or replace part of the knee. For people with knee osteoarthritis, there are special slow-acting medicines that may help the knee last longer. Choosing a treatment depends on the pain, how the knee works, and the overall health of the person. It is best to talk with a healthcare professional to decide which treatment is right for you.

(References)

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Vanneste T, Belba A, Oei GTML, Emans P, Fonkoue L, Kallewaard JW, Kapural L, Peng P, Sommer M, Vanneste B, Cohen SP, Van Zundert J. 9. Chronic knee pain. Pain Pract. 2025 Jan;25(1):e13408. doi: 10.1111/papr.13408. Epub 2024 Sep 1. PMID: 39219017; PMCID: PMC11680467.
Lane NE, Simon LS, Tambiah J. Slow acting medications for progressive and painful knee osteoarthritis. How do we assess the benefit to risk of these potentially novel therapies? Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2024 Nov 27;7(1):100546. doi: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100546. PMID: 39737142; PMCID: PMC11683324.
Dantas LO, Salvini TF, McAlindon TE. Knee osteoarthritis: key treatments and implications for physical therapy. Braz J Phys Ther. 2021 Mar-Apr;25(2):135-146. doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2020.08.004. Epub 2020 Sep 8. PMID: 33262080; PMCID: PMC7990728.

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