Knee Orthopaedic Rehabilitation
Osteoarthritis
- Joint stiffness after rest, easing with movement
- Pain with prolonged standing or walking
- Grinding or creaking in the joint
- Reduced range of movement
Quick answer
Osteoarthritis is gradual wear of joint cartilage, most often in the knees and hips, causing stiffness after rest and pain with prolonged activity. Exercise therapy is the most effective non-surgical treatment: strengthening the surrounding muscles reliably reduces pain and improves function within eight to twelve weeks.
Typical recovery
Managed long-term; meaningful gains in 8–12 weeks
A typical range, not a promise — how long it takes depends on how long it has been going on, and on what you do between appointments.
Osteoarthritis is often described as wear and tear, which makes it sound like the joint is simply running out. That framing leads people to rest, which is the opposite of what helps.
Cartilage does thin, and the joint does change shape. But pain levels correlate poorly with how bad a joint looks on x-ray — many people with severe radiographic changes have little pain, and vice versa. What consistently predicts function is muscle strength around the joint.
What it feels like
Stiffness after sitting or first thing in the morning, easing within about half an hour of moving. Pain that builds with prolonged standing or walking. Grinding or creaking. In later stages, pain at rest and at night.
What actually works
Exercise is the most effective non-surgical treatment, and the evidence for it is stronger than for most things sold for arthritis. Strengthening the muscles around the joint reduces load through the damaged surface and reduces pain, without changing the cartilage at all.
Weight is the other major lever for knee and hip arthritis: each kilogram lost reduces load through the knee several times over during walking.
How physiotherapy helps
- Progressive strengthening of the quadriceps, glutes and calf for the lower limb
- Maintaining and restoring joint range
- Building walking tolerance in graded steps
- Hands-on treatment for symptom relief alongside the exercise
- Advice on footwear, walking aids where needed, and pacing activity
- Weight management support where relevant
How long it takes
Most people notice meaningful improvement in eight to twelve weeks and maintain it with continued exercise. Osteoarthritis is managed rather than cured — but managed well, many people delay or avoid joint replacement entirely.
When surgery becomes the conversation
When pain persists at rest and at night, function is severely limited despite good rehabilitation, and quality of life is significantly affected. We will say plainly when we think that point has been reached rather than continuing treatment indefinitely.
Medically reviewed by Pooja Tyagi, BPT, MPT, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy · Last reviewed September 2026