The diagnosis people are told means ‘wear and tear, learn to live with it’ — and which responds to strength better than to almost anything else.
Knee osteoarthritis involves changes to the cartilage and the whole joint over time. The words used about it matter: ‘bone on bone’ and ‘degeneration’ frighten people out of the exercise that is the single best-supported treatment for it.
Strength is the treatment, and the dose has to be right. We assess what the knee currently tolerates, build quadriceps, hip and calf strength progressively, and manage the flare-ups that happen along the way. Hydrotherapy is useful when land-based loading is too painful to start with — the warm pool lets you load a knee that will not tolerate it dry.
Meaningful change usually takes twelve weeks or more of consistent loading. That is slower than an injection and it lasts longer.
Only the ones that make sense for this problem — listing all three on every page would be advertising, not information.
No. Appropriate loading is good for cartilage and joint health; it is prolonged inactivity that is associated with worse outcomes. The skill is in the dose, which is what a clinician is for.
Many people manage well for years without one, and strengthening is recommended before surgery is considered in any case — it also improves outcomes if you do end up having it. That decision belongs to you and your surgeon; our job is to make sure it is made from a position of strength.
Some soreness that settles within 24 hours is acceptable and expected. Pain that is worse the next morning and stays worse means the dose was too high, and we adjust it. That is a normal part of the process, not a failure.
Not sure this is what you have? That is exactly what an assessment is for — and if it turns out to be something else, we will tell you.
Related: Hip osteoarthritis · Physiotherapy at Forge West End
No referral is needed for a private appointment. Bring one only if you are claiming through Medicare, DVA, WorkCover or insurance.
Unit 4, 249 Montague Road — a short run from South Brisbane, Highgate Hill, Dutton Park, Woolloongabba and South Bank, and from the CBD across the river.
Can’t get to the clinic? We also offer physiotherapy home visits across the same area, with travel included in the fee.
Book your assessment at Forge West End and start a plan built around your goals — not a generic exercise sheet.
Unit 4, 249 Montague Road, West End QLD 4101 · No referral needed for a private appointment · HICAPS on site
