If you have been told your knee is "bone on bone", it is easy to feel like the only path ahead is to slow down and give things up. Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain and stiffness in adults over 45, and it is also one of the most misunderstood.
The reassuring news is that osteoarthritis is not simply your knee wearing out, and the diagnosis is not a sentence to a smaller life. This article explains what really drives the pain, why exercise is first-line care, what you can do, and when to seek help.
- Is Knee Osteoarthritis Just Wear and Tear?
- What Actually Causes Knee Osteoarthritis Pain?
- Can Exercise Help Knee Osteoarthritis?
- What Can You Do for an Arthritic Knee?
- When Should You Seek Help for Knee Pain?
- Helping You Perform at Your Best
Is Knee Osteoarthritis Just Wear and Tear?
The classic picture is of a joint grinding itself away like a worn tyre, where every step uses up something you cannot get back. That framing is understandable, but it does not match how joints actually behave.
Osteoarthritis involves changes across the whole joint, and the amount of change seen on a scan often does not match how much pain a person has. Some people with significant changes have little pain. Others with mild changes have a lot.
What Actually Causes Knee Osteoarthritis Pain?
Pain is influenced by far more than the cartilage. Contributing factors often include:
- Reduced strength in the muscles that support the knee
- Activity levels and how load is managed
- Sleep, stress and general health
- Periods of doing very little, which can leave the joint stiffer
That matters because it opens the door to doing something about it. If pain were purely about structure, exercise could not help. But it can.
Can Exercise Help Knee Osteoarthritis?
Yes. Exercise and education is the recommended first-line treatment for knee osteoarthritis. One well-studied example is the GLA:D program (Good Life with osteoArthritis: Denmark), a structured education and supervised exercise program now delivered across Australia.
GLA:D Australia data shows an average pain reduction of around 36 per cent, alongside reduced use of pain medication. Around 3 in 4 participants either avoided surgery or no longer wished to pursue it 12 months after the program.
Will Exercise Wear My Knee Out Faster?
No. Done sensibly and progressively, the right movement helps the knee cope rather than wearing it out. Strengthening the quadriceps, glutes and calves helps share and control load through the joint, and regular movement supports joint health and confidence.
What Can You Do for an Arthritic Knee?
A few practical starting points:
- Keep moving with gentle, regular activity rather than long rest
- Build strength gradually, avoiding sudden spikes that flare the knee
- Stay active through winter, when stiffness and reduced activity often make symptoms worse
- Follow a graded plan that can be adjusted as you progress
When Should You Seek Help for Knee Pain?
Consider booking an assessment if you have knee pain or stiffness limiting your activity, a knee that flares with stairs or getting up from a chair, or you have been told your knee is "bone on bone" and want to know what you can do about it.
Seek prompt review if your knee locks, gives way repeatedly, or becomes hot and swollen, or after a significant fall.
Helping You Perform at Your Best
Knee osteoarthritis can be frustrating, especially when it limits your ability to move comfortably or stay active.
At Ace Sports Medicine in Upper Mount Gravatt, our physiotherapy and exercise physiology team provides personalised care for knee osteoarthritis and related concerns across Brisbane's southside.
Need support for knee osteoarthritis?
Book an appointment with the Ace Sports Medicine team today.
