Joints we treat
- Knee pain, including patellofemoral pain and osteoarthritis
- Shoulder pain, impingement and rotator cuff problems
- Hip and groin pain, including gluteal tendinopathy
- Ankle and foot pain after sprains or overload
- Elbow and wrist pain from work or training
- Joint pain after a fracture or period of immobilisation
Arthritis is not a reason to stop moving
For knee and hip osteoarthritis, exercise and load management are first-line care. Rest reduces pain in the short term but makes the joint weaker and less tolerant over time. The right dose of strength work reduces pain and improves function, and it is supported by clinical guidance.
The scan does not decide the plan on its own. Two people with the same X-ray can have very different pain and function, which is why the examination and your goals matter.
What treatment involves
- 1Assess movement, strength, swelling and how the joint is loaded.
- 2Reduce pain with activity modification and manual therapy where useful.
- 3Build strength through the range you actually use.
- 4Retrain walking, stairs, squatting, lifting and sport-specific movement.
- 5Review with measurable goals rather than pain alone.
When joint pain needs urgent review
A hot, swollen joint with fever needs medical review. So does a joint that locks, gives way repeatedly, or cannot bear weight after an injury. These presentations may need imaging or a specialist opinion before exercise progression.
About this guidance
This page is general information about physiotherapy for this problem, not a diagnosis. An assessment is the only way to know what is driving your symptoms and what treatment suits you.
Reviewed by Dr. Sneha Ramchandani, PT, BPTh, MIAP, Founder and physiotherapist at Muscle Lab, Andheri East.
Sources
Questions people ask
Should I avoid stairs with knee pain?
Not necessarily. Avoiding all stairs reduces strength and tolerance. The useful approach is to adjust how much and how often while you rebuild capacity, then progress.
Can exercise help knee arthritis?
Yes. Strength and aerobic exercise reduce pain and improve function in knee osteoarthritis and are recommended as first-line care. The program needs to match your current tolerance.
Do I need a knee replacement?
That is a decision for you and an orthopaedic surgeon. Physiotherapy is worthwhile before and after surgery, and many people improve enough with rehabilitation to delay or avoid it.