Relief for knee pain often requires several different approaches. For many people, that includes physical therapy, typically a program of exercises and stretches.
Physical Therapy
“Physical therapy is amazing at building strength and increasing mobility, especially when it comes to overuse injuries that may occur because your body has a muscular imbalance,” says Hall.
A review of 152 studies involving more than 17,000 participants found that for knee or hip osteoarthritis, exercise had beneficial effects on pain and function similar to drug treatments such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen.
Dietary Supplements
When it comes to dietary supplements, “There’s not any conclusive evidence of a gold standard” for knee pain, says Hernandez. But turmeric supplements may be helpful for some people with osteoarthritis, he notes. A research review involving 10 studies found that taking a supplement of turmeric (curcumin) extract led to better pain and function outcomes than a placebo (inactive pill).
The combination supplement of glucosamine and chondroitin has also shown some promise for osteoarthritis in studies. One research review involving eight studies found that compared with a placebo, glucosamine and chondroitin led to slight improvement in knee osteoarthritis outcomes.
And in one smaller study, taking omega-3 supplements in the form of krill oil led to modest improvements in knee pain and stiffness in adults with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis.
Acupuncture
For some people with osteoarthritis, acupuncture can lead to lasting improvement in knee pain. A research review involving four studies and close to 1,400 participants found that compared with “sham acupuncture,” in which participants thought they were getting the treatment, real acupuncture led to improvements in knee pain and function that lasted 4.5 months after treatment completion.
Weight Loss and Nutrition
In people with overweight or obesity, weight loss can help with knee pain in osteoarthritis. “Losing a tiny amount of weight is a ton of weight off the knee,” says Hall.
Hernandez says that a healthy, nutrient-rich diet can also help with knee pain. Taken together, “Physical therapy, exercise, nutrition, and weight loss are just as important as some of the medications,” he says.
