The most common joint problem we see — and the one with the widest menu of options between "live with it" and "replace it."
Osteoarthritis is the gradual wearing of joint cartilage with changes in the underlying bone. In the knee it shows up as activity-related pain, morning stiffness that eases with motion, and good days and bad days that slowly trend harder. It is common, it is manageable, and having it on an X-ray does not mean surgery is inevitable.
Weight-bearing X-rays — standing, not lying down — show the true joint space and alignment. The exam sorts arthritis from its neighbors: meniscal tears, tendon problems, pain referred from the hip or spine. MRI is reserved for when it would change the plan.
If any of these apply, go to an emergency department or call 911 rather than waiting for a clinic appointment.
The strongest evidence in all of knee arthritis belongs to unglamorous things: strengthening the muscles around the knee, activity you can sustain, and weight management — each pound lost takes several pounds of load off the joint with every step. Braces and simple analgesics have supporting roles.
Image-guided injections are options along the spectrum: corticosteroid for short-term relief of a flare, hyaluronic acid for lubrication-based relief that suits some patients, and orthobiologic options — PRP and, in more advanced cases, BMAC — which remain investigational for arthritis and are discussed with the evidence, uncertainties, and costs on the table.
When pain limits your life despite honest effort at the above and X-rays show advanced disease, knee replacement is among the most reliable operations in medicine. Our job is to tell you when you've genuinely reached that point — and not to stand between you and a surgeon when you have.
Authoritative references on this topic, for patients who want to read further. These are educational resources, not medical advice.
Educational information only. This page describes knee osteoarthritis in general terms. Your situation depends on your history, examination, and imaging — the specifics are worked out at a consultation, not from a web page.
