Should I take medication for knee pain?

A really common question people ask is – should I take medication for knee pain?

It is okay to take medication to manage knee pain. It allows many people to manage their pain and endure tasks they normally couldn’t complete without the pain relief. 

However, be aware that it will not resolve the underlying cause of sore knees.

If your knee pain has been frustrating you for some time, it may be time to try something different. 

So that begs the question… 

Can knee pain improve without medication?

We are often asked - is there any way to improve knee pain without medication? 

The short answer is yes. 

After helping 100’s of others with aching knee joints, it is clear that exercise can be very effective for lasting improvements to knee pain. 

What are the best exercises for knee pain? 

The best exercises for knee pain are rehabilitation exercises that strengthen the leg muscles.  

The particular movement that is best for you will depend on the background of your knee pain. 

A great place to start is movement that feels good with minimal pain. 

A few basic examples are pictured below.

The top pictures are the most basic and the bottom pictures are the most advanced exercise

  1. Knee extension

    Start sitting down. Straighten one leg out as much as you can, holding at the top for 3 seconds. Complete this 15 times on each leg. Repeat another 15 times on each leg. 

  2. Sit to stand

    Start sitting down on a stable chair/couch. Stand up tall. Return to starting position, slowly lowering back to the chair Complete this 12 times. Once completed, repeat twice.
    If this exercise is too difficult - try a higher chair.
    If this exercise is too easy – try a lower chair (if still too easy try standing up on one leg)

  3. Body weight squat

    Start standing up. Push your hips back and slowly bend your legs until your bottom is in line with your knees.  Return back to standing. Complete 10 times. Once completed, repeat twice.
    If this exercise is too difficult – don’t bend your legs as much as the picture
    If this exercise is too easy – try a holding some weight (a backpack with books works great!

Andrew Daubney