Our expert clinical team of surgeons, exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, strength & conditioning coaches, and nurse practitioners are dedicated to delivering you the best possible treatment in your journey towards a more pain-free, functional lifestyle.
Nagging pain on the inside of your knee can disrupt daily life and activity. This blog explores the anatomy of the medial knee and delves into common causes such as meniscal tears, MCL sprains, and osteoarthritis. Discover physiotherapy-based approaches to managing pain, from conservative treatments to surgical options, and learn how to take the first steps toward relief and recovery.
Discover how strength training can transform the way you manage knee osteoarthritis. From improving joint stability and flexibility to protecting against further degeneration, this often-overlooked approach is a key ingredient to regaining mobility and reducing pain. Explore practical tips and expert advice to take the first step toward a stronger, more active life.
Wondering if your TKR recovery is on track? From swelling and pain to disrupted sleep, learn what’s normal after a total knee replacement and how to manage your recovery effectively. Discover tips, common experiences, and when to seek expert guidance for a smoother healing journey.
There is strong evidence that a customised musculoskeletal program to strengthen muscle-groups and increase the knee’s range of motion is highly effective for knee OA pain management and improvement of physical function in the short and long term.
Chondrocytes (articular cartilage cells) build articular cartilage by forming a matrix – a complex combination of proteins and water. When articular cartilage is damaged, it does not repair itself effectively like other tissues. Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI) involves implanting chondrocytes into an area of cartilage damage.
Arthroscopy is a term that comes from two Greek words; ‘arthro’, meaning joint; and ‘skopein’, meaning to examine. It involves small incisions and the insertion of a small camera and special instruments to perform minor procedures.
Joints are where the ends of bones form a natural hinge or rub against each other, allowing the body to move. When we are young, the ends of our bones are covered in smooth articular cartilage that allows low-friction gliding. There are also ligaments, muscles and tendons surrounding the joint, holding the bones together and keeping the joint stable.
Over recent years, a lot of attention has been focused on the potential for stem cells to treat osteoarthritis. This attention was largely due to claims that stem cells could regenerate the articular cartilage.
This treatment involves a gel-like fluid called Hyaluronic Acid (HA) being injected into your affected knee. Hyaluronic Acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the synovial fluid around joints. It acts as a lubricant to enable bones to move smoothly over each other and as a shock absorber for joint loads.
The Cochrane Collaboration states that corticosteroid injections may cause a moderate improvement in pain and a small improvement in physical function, but that the quality of the evidence is low and results are inconclusive.
Both Autologous Concentrated Plasma (ACP) and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) are injections that are derived from your own blood. Both processes
involve spinning or centrifuging the blood until it separates into layers.
Capsaicin is the ingredient found in different types of hot peppers, such as chillies and cayenne peppers, that makes them spicy and hot. It is available as a dietary supplement and in topical creams that you apply to your skin.
There is very little published evidence for these hybrid-braces that could provide cold-therapy, compression and immobilisation. However, cold-therapy and compression are well established methods of decreasing pain and inflammation.
The bulk of significant favourable clinical evidence rests with the more established brands, such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.
Whilst it appears that Omega-3 acids are not specifically effective in treating knee osteoarthritis, they are nonetheless an important part of a healthy diet, and have been shown to play a part in controlling inflammation generally.
The scientific evidence strongly supports good nutrition and diet in general, as it directly impacts the health of all bodily systems and functions. A healthy diet will help you maintain a healthy body weight, which is critical for effective treatment of knee OA.
Research has shown that a 10% weight reduction can produce a 50% decrease in your knee pain. Furthermore, the evidence suggests
that a loss of 0.25% of your body weight per week will give you noticeable pain reduction.
There is strong evidence that heat and cold therapies are effective and provide rapid relief from knee arthritis pain and inflammation, although the duration of time for which the relief lasts varies from patient to patient.
A TENS machine is a small electronic device that sends pulses to the nerve endings via pads placed on the skin of the knee. The device produces a tingling sensation which is thought to modify the pain messages sent to the brain.
Overall, the balance of evidence suggests that chondroitin may improve the pain of knee osteoarthritis (OA) slightly in the short-term (less than six months) and may have a small effect (approximately 20%) on pain.
Neuropathic pain is pain that is associated with damage to or malfunctioning of the nervous system. This is different from pain that you might experience from an injury such as a broken bone, where a different structure is damaged but the nerve itself is intact. Neuropathic pain can require different management, and should be kept in mind if you have a longstanding painful knee.
There is evidence from a 2014 Cochrane review of 22 trials of opioids for osteoarthritis pain that there may be a small improvement in pain and function when compared to placebo treatment.
There is strong evidence from multiple randomised trials and meta-analyses of randomised trials that NSAIDs are more effective for the treatment of osteoarthritis than placebo or paracetamol.
Also known as acetaminophen, paracetamol is commonly prescribed for a wide spectrum of pain, including knee OA.
There is good evidence unloader braces reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The benefits can include reduced pain and stiffness, reduced need for medication, improved knee function, and they may even slow the progression of OA.
The main benefits of these sleeves are warmth and an increased feeling of security and stability. Like heat therapy, these sleeves can help relieve low-level chronic aches and pains and give a boost in physical confidence, which makes a patient more likely to increase their level of activity.
Orthotic inserts can be a helpful piece in the puzzle when it comes to managing knee pain. Orthotic inserts are insoles that can be placed into your footwear which alters the way your foot engages with the ground. By changing the way your foot interacts with the ground, the alignment and loads going through joints above the foot such as your ankle, knee and hip can also be changed.
Radiofrequency nerve ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure developed to treat pain by using high-energy radio waves to heat, and therefore destroy certain nerves that transmit painful sensations. RFA is typically only performed on sensory nerves, which are nerves that do not supply the muscles, so joint and muscle function remain unaffected.
Ultrasound uses sound waves to heat and deliver energy to the structures in the knee joint. Apart from the benefits of heat (see relevant section), the sound waves are thought to create small amounts of trauma at the cellular level, stimulating a healing response.
Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine, and involves inserting fine needles into to specific acupuncture points around your knee and body. For painful conditions, sometimes electrical stimulation of these needles is used.
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