10 Tips for Healthy Knees and Joints

Knee pain and arthritis are common as we get older, but staying active and strong makes a real difference. These tips from the Top Pro Rehab physiotherapy team are based on clinical guidelines for osteoarthritis and joint care.

Tip 21: Exercise is a core treatment for knee and hip osteoarthritis. Strengthening the muscles around the joint reduces pain and improves movement.

Tip 22: If you are overweight, even a small amount of weight loss reduces the load on your knees and can ease pain.

Tip 23: Low-impact activities such as walking, cycling and swimming keep your joints moving without straining them.

Tip 24: Straight leg raise: lie on your back, tighten your thigh, lift the straight leg slowly to the height of the other bent knee, and lower. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

Tip 25: Sit to stand: rise from a chair without using your hands if you can, then sit down slowly. Repeat 10 times. It builds strength for everyday life.

Tip 26: Mild discomfort during exercise is acceptable if it settles within 24 hours. If pain is sharp or keeps getting worse, reduce the exercise and seek advice.

Tip 27: Wear supportive, cushioned footwear. If deep squatting or sitting cross-legged on the floor flares your pain, use a low stool or chair instead.

Tip 28: After a knee replacement, do your physiotherapy exercises every day. Working on bending and straightening the knee early is key to a good result.

Tip 29: For swelling after activity, use ice wrapped in a cloth for 10 to 15 minutes, and rest the leg raised on a pillow.

Tip 30: Seek medical help quickly if a joint becomes hot, red and very swollen, if you have a fever, or if you cannot put weight on your leg after an injury.

These tips are general information and do not replace a personal assessment. For home physiotherapy in Tirupati and Venkatagiri, call Top Pro Rehab on +91 99852 60621.

Sources: NICE guideline NG226, Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (2022); OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip and polyarticular osteoarthritis (2019).