How common is knee pain in knee osteoarthritis?

Pain may be felt deep in the knee and can come with stiffness after rest, reduced flexibility, creaking, or difficulty with stairs and rising from a chair. Symptoms can vary from day to day and do not always match the appearance of changes on an image. Knee pain can also have other causes, so pain by itself does not establish osteoarthritis.

Keep the knee moving gently and balance activity with recovery. Low-impact exercise, strengthening around the hip and thigh, and a plan suited to your current ability may improve function. A doctor or physiotherapist can assess your walking, range of motion, strength, and pain pattern, then discuss suitable options. Avoid suddenly increasing demanding activity when symptoms are flaring.

Book an assessment if pain is limiting walking, sleep, work, or everyday tasks, or if it persists despite sensible activity changes. Seek prompt care for a hot, red, markedly swollen knee, fever, a knee that locks, or inability to bear weight. Sudden severe pain after an injury also warrants timely evaluation.

Ask what examination findings support osteoarthritis, whether imaging would change management, which exercises fit your knee, and how to respond to a flare without stopping all movement.