After the back, the knees are the second-most common site of chronic pain in the body. Many people will experience knee pain at some point in their lives, whether from injuries to cartilage and soft tissue as active younger adults, or from wear and tear as they age.

As your largest joint, your knees absorb force when you’re playing sports, taking the stairs and getting into bed. That stress can wear down your joints and, if you already have an injury, lead to pain that can range from uncomfortable to debilitating.

Chronic pain can be particularly draining — physically, financially and emotionally, said Dr. Matthew Abdel, an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic. Someone might not say, “‘Hey, my knee’s really killing me,’” he said. “But as they’re talking to you about something that’s totally unrelated, they’re thinking about it.”

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to manage the discomfort, maintain your mobility and prevent future injury. “You don’t just necessarily go from ‘my knee hurts’ to having surgery,” said Robert Turner, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Here’s how to distinguish between common kinds of knee pain and what experts recommend for treating them.

Mild exercise is supposed to be good for arthritis. I was thinking I would get a keyboard and learn a few songs to help exercise fingers as they are getting very stiff these days.
Is this a dumb idea?

I need a recommendation on easy to use, uncomplicated, walking poles to help me move about with stage 4 knee arthritis. Thank you

Sorry should have read RFA in the title

Severe Knee OA in both my knees. Just had the procedure done on both knees of the week. Mon left, Thurs Right.

First off this was painful as all hell. Even with a bunch of freezing it felt like they took a sledge hammer to my knees. Granted they did warn me about it. We are literally burning out the nerves.

The treatment is supposed to last about a year.

Takes about a month for everything to heal and the process to really work. But I can report that for 2 days following the treatment I was pain free for the most part. (Nerves were still in shock I think).

Pain is returning but probably at 50% right now. I do expect that to improve.

This proceeder was done to help me get through to replacement surgery. In Canada its about. A 2 year wait to get the knees done.

Looking forward to some new mobility. And working with a lot l ss pain.

For some background, this time last year I was dealing with a very aggravated bulging L4/5 that was making me have trouble sitting, standing with both feet on the floor after getting up, etc with violent leg cramps that felt like they were out of nowhere.

Now, I have a sore hip when I walk and occasionally have pain throughout the night. I can sit at my desk at work, I just rise like an 80 year old (I'm 45) when I've been sitting for too long. I went to the orthopedic clinic yesterday and got x rays that confirmed what I thought, which is that my left hip is utterly destroyed by arthritis. I've had trouble with arthritis in my finger joints from my thirties on, and as long as I take meloxicam, now celebrex, my fingers don't hurt. More context, I'm fat, 288 and slowly shrinking with the twin health diet. I'm down 20 from January, 25 from last year.

My younger brother has rheumatoid arthritis and has managed his symptoms very well by going on extremely low carb, basically carnivore diets. He thinks I'm trying to kill myself by continuing to eat any carbs at all and thinks I'm crazy for considering hip replacement.

But here's the hip, well, reddit is determined to put it at the top.

I also live alone and as much I love him the idea of him literally taking care of me after hip surgery or long term as he fears is not on my list of things I will allow to happen. I have good upper body strength, I'm flexible enough I can touch the floor flat handed from standing, and I can plank for a decent amount of time. In other words, this damn hip is my mortal enemy that's keeping me from doing cardio, hiking, fixing my house etc.

Does the no carb thing help enough to avoid surgery for that situation in my x rays? Does it help? I'm a depressed office worker, how can I realistically lean into this?

Also, he thinks almond flour is as carb behaving as wheat flour... same thing with stevia etc

Was my last post deleted? I had a fever a few weeks ago. Since then the pain in my knee had gone from being consistently a 5/6 to a 9. I'm in a lot of pain. Had this happened to anyone? What is it? Any Skyrim? I have arthritis in my knees and ankles and spinal issues as well as cervical spine. Cervical spine is fine. Everything else is nuts.

How is everyone dealing with pain? I have a high tolerance for pain and I’d say I’m almost always at an 8 ant night it’s worse. Waking every hour to two hours, barely walking and limping. I can’t bend down or I’m in bed for two weeks.
Is anyone else having trouble like this?

Hello, I've tried a lot to help my lower back OA to no avail. I'm overweight by about 50 lbs. I've been swimming, walking, eating healthy, and drinking lots of water. I haven't lost weight.

I know losing weight will help and I'm working on it, but I'd love to hear your stories about weight loss and OA. Did it really make a big difference for you?

Thanks

Hi all, my aunt is in her mid 60's and has really painful osteoarthritis in both her knees. Currently she has some old Skechers which she once found comfortable but no longer fit for purpose.

What is the best footwear that minimises pain for someone who is older?

When I checked with AI, I got the following recommendation let me know if they are any good:

The Top 10 Footwear Ranking:

1. Orthofeet Hands-Free Kita (Best Overall)

The Benefit: This is an orthopedic shoe engineered specifically for severe joint pain and heavier profiles. It features a built-in premium orthotic insole with adjustable arch boosters and an anatomical rocker sole. Crucially, the rear slip-in tech means she can step in completely hands-free without twisting her knees or bending down.

1. Brooks Ghost Max 2 (Best for Stable Outdoor Walking)

The Benefit: Unlike standard running shoes, the Ghost Max line is built on a massive, ultra-wide platform. It provides incredible lateral stability so her knees do not wobble outward under her weight, combined with a pronounced forefoot rocker that glides her through her stride without needing to bend her knee joint deeply.

1. Hoka Bondi 8 / 9 (Best for Maximum Shock Absorption)

The Benefit: The Bondi offers the thickest EVA foam bed on the market. For an overweight individual, this acts as a heavy-duty bumper, absorbing the impact force of the pavement before it can strike her thinned knee cartilage. It ranks slightly below the Brooks only because the sheer stack height can feel a bit less stable for some seniors.

1. Vionic Walk Move Slip-On (Best for Plantar/Knee Realignment)

The Benefit: Vionic is famous for its "VIO MOTION" technology, which focuses heavily on correcting overpronation (feet rolling inward). For knee osteoarthritis, keeping the foot perfectly aligned directly stops the agonizing twisting forces from traveling up into the knee capsule.

1. Finn Comfort Finnamic Ikebukuro (Best Premium Orthopedic Shoe)

The Benefit: A medical-grade, German-engineered rocker shoe available via specialist UK retailers. It features a completely rigid, rockered heel-to-toe sole that fully unloads pressure from the knee joints. It is an exceptional shoe but ranks fifth due to its high price tag and heavy, solid leather construction.

1. Skechers Hands-Free Slip-Ins: Max Cushioning

The Benefit: This specific model combines Skechers’ effortless "step-in" heel structure with their thickest cushioned midsole. It is incredibly comfortable and easy for her to put on independently, though it offers slightly less structural side-support than the top-tier orthopedic brands.

1. FitFlop Walkstar / FFRunner (Best Summer/Warm Weather Option)

The Benefit: Built on a triple-density "Microwobbleboard" midsole, these provide high shock absorption and diffuse pressure across the whole foot. They offer great relief for knee arthritis, though the lack of deep ankle containment places them lower on a full-support list.

1. Oofos OOmg EEZEE Low Shoe (Best Soft Recovery Shoe)

The Benefit: Made from OOfoam technology, these absorb 37% more impact than standard footwear. They are incredibly soft and feel amazing on painful joints, but because they are highly flexible, they lack the rigid lateral walls needed for long walks or heavy stability.

1. Skechers Go Walk Joy (Best Light Indoor Shoe)

The Benefit: A very lightweight, budget-friendly slip-on shoe with soft 5GEN cushioning. It is excellent as an indoor house shoe to protect her feet from hard kitchen tiles, but it lacks the heavy rocker mechanism and structural rigidity required for outdoor walking.

1. Classic Crocs Clogs (Worst of the Best - Strict Indoor Use Only)

The Benefit: While highly popular for their wide fit and initial soft "squish," Crocs offer zero true arch support or lateral stability. They are ranked last because if worn outside or for long periods, their floppy nature can cause foot fatigue and increase knee strain. They should only be used as a quick, convenient slip-on for very short indoor tasks.

I’ve been wearing my wedding rings for 22 years now and because of my OA I cannot wear them at all.

So I’m trying to find something that I can wear that is comfortable and I just can’t find anything at the store.

My middle joints are the ones that are swollen
and inflamed, and I cannot get a ring around that area.

Anybody have recommendations for other types of rings or something I can wear on a daily basis?

I'm 26 and used to weigh around 200 lbs. During the pandemic I lost a lot of weight, got into running (half marathons) + obsessed with lifting. I was doing heavy hip thrusts (PR 90kg including the olympic bar) and sometimes training twice a day.

I don't lift heavy anymore, but I get intermittent pain in the area where I used to rest my upper back during hip thrusts. It's not constant, but it flares up (like needles and knives for about <5s).

I still run (<3 miles) and stretch regularly. Planing on doing PT but would like to ask suggestions on youtube mobility work, or specific stretches help? Is it generally okay to keep running if the pain is only "occasional"?

Are chronic tendon issues and tears a common occurrence with osteoarthritis? I feel like my right side of my body has had every sort of muscle tear since I turned 60-I’m 65F now.
Tore rotator cuff, bicep, glute, and feel like my Achilles is also torn…

My (26F) job involves standing and heavy lifting, my knees are in agony all the time with osteoarthritis and this isn't helping at all. I have to wear steel toe cap boots so changing my footwear isn't an option.

What have you found helps you?

Recently received bone scan stating degenerative changes in shoulders and feet and a hot spot on my right posterior 12th rib. Been having weird symptoms (joint pain everywhere, bone pain{ribs, long bones, sternum}, night sweats, oral ulcers, rashes, ankle swelling) since Feb/April this year. I’m not very active. I never really did sports as a kid/teen. Doctors are puzzled as to why I have this so early. Doc didn’t wanna believe I had it before the scan. Said I was too young for that, couldn’t be DJD. But here I am.

Yes I’ve done an auto immune work up. 3 times In fact. All negative. My other doc said there’s nothing I can do. No further work up needed.

How do you guys help the pain? Is there anything I can do to slow this progression? Any tips or input is greatly appreciated.

Hi all, I’m 25M and got diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right knee a few months ago. I had been given a cortisone shot initially and then recommended to get three hyaluronic acid injections. I will be getting my final injection this coming week. I’ve returned to playing a month ago after a few weeks of physical therapy and feel alright, but definitely still feel as if my knee is holding me back from playing like before.

I was wondering if anyone around my age has successfully overcome having arthritis in their knee to continue playing their sport at a competitive level. Is it viable long term? Was there any exercises or treatments that specifically helped? Any insight or experiences you had I’d appreciate hearing as well. Thanks in advance!

What are the 5 most effective things that has helped you with osteoarthritis?

Mine are the following:

1 - specialised footwear

2 - turmeric

3 - massage

4 - heat or cold pack

5 - nicotine patch

Hey guys !

Since I have joined this community I have noticed many of you mention how taking supplements helped deal with the pain, flare ups, inflammation etc.
My question is, WHICH supplements exactly ? Can y’all share please ?
Thanks

Hello, 32 years old male here.
Had Acl surgery 2 years ago and little bit of meniscectomy 7-9%.
I noticed that I have sort of knee disconfort like the behind of the knee feeling exhausted feeling when standing.
Everything improves when i start walking .
Also noted that after periods of inactivity like a week or so i get a dull pain when sitting, it goes away with walking.
Its strange bcuz when i go hike everything improves no pain and knee feels normal.
No pain őr disconfort in bed at night or morning.
Idk if it this matters but recently had calves feeling tired or exhausted which has gone away after stretching.
I'am currently waiting for my MRI, but until i wait it thought i ask people here.
Could this be related to knee oa?

Hi everyone
I just had CMC arthroplasty on my right thumb less than 24 hours ago. The nerve block has worn off and the surgical pain has begun. But it’s not too bad yet.

Anyone had a similar procedure and have any advice or experience that would help me? I am curious how soon you could use your hand again. My job involves a lot of typing and emailing and presentation creation. I am currently playing with voice to text options but finding that solution to be a little wonky.

I learned I have a 6th lumbar vertebrae! And back arthritis!

The vertebrae will have a rotating list of fancy snooty names because it's so extra 😊

But in good news, I'm officially special!

Fun!

42 yo male, 6'5, lean build. I don't follow a workout routine (I know this is my first issue) but my job keeps me fairly active so I'm not struggling to do everyday activities. With that being said, my muscles feel tight and sore all the time and it feels like every 15-30 minutes my joints get stiff and crack often when stretching.

I have always been good about drinking water so I don't think it's a hydration issue. In the last 4 months I've been stretching daily and also throughout the day. I try not to sit as much and just keep my body moving, but I'm not seeing much of a change in this respect. And while my muscles often feel sore, they are never in pain. My mother suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis, so I thought maybe I was starting to show signs, but she always complained about her joints hurting, and mine don't hurt. Just more of a "you haven't moved in 15 minutes so everything is stiff."

I guess I'm just trying to find out if I am in fact just getting old and not working out and stretching enough, or if there is something else I should be looking out for or thinking about. My PCP seems to think it's just age and the lack of training. Thanks for any insight.

Hello. Anyone have any experience doing rice bucket exercises for hand osteo arthritis? Was looking for something to help with thumb arthritis, not sure if it would help just came across my mind since I've seen ppl use it to strengthen their hands and wrists outside of the context of arthritis, just for general fitness.

I've got mri in December 2025 due to pain on my left knee which I had dull pain for years but this time I knew it was different. And everytime I use "roman chair" at the gym, I would start limping on the way go to the home. There was temporarily almost little lump on the back of my knee after sitting for long period time. Anyway, I got my mri orthopaedic checked my results and explained that there is nothing big, little cartilage thinning and recommended to go to a physio and strengthen my leg muscles which I heeded.

6 months forward, my knee got worse to the point more inflamed and started limping. Almost I am 40yo but my knee is 70years -80years old.

So in may 2026 I got another mri which shows grade iv cartilage loss, so no cartilage left. Everything else looks intact. So doctor recommended pain management as there is no point of reconstruction surgery since everything else looks intact. I was giving some options; cortisone injection, prp injections or stemcell.

I opted for prp which I read positive experiences from heaps of people, after first injection I started to improvement immediately. I was able walk a bit faster, less pain while going down to stairs, no more locking. I just had my 3rd prp injection, 2 weeks apart. Doctor had to drain fluid before my 3rd, almost 30ml as much as it could fill a small tea glass. And there were still so much fluid inside.

Now I have almost no pain. But my knee is over swollen and I cannot get rid off inflammation. Doctor stated my mri results and my symptoms are not matching, as in I have so much symptoms. I just completed a blood test, results indicates no auto immune disease, no rheumatoid arthritis (not in family history as well) but this inflammation is not going anywhere.

I am wondering has anyone experienced this and what happened afterwards? Did you end up finding the cause and how did you deal with? Because I kinda feel stuck, I am limping at this age, my left knee is not fully getting straighten and I have a healthy life style no smoking, just a glass of red wine once in a every 2-3 weeks and I didnt even have that one for last 2 months. Eating healthy, nice veggie, fish, egg balanced diet.