You may have heard that osteoarthritis knee exercises can help manage your condition. And, while you can't cure arthritis, you can help reduce pain and stiffness by getting regular exercise. Still, if you want long-lasting relief, you may need to explore medical solutions.

These osteoarthritis knee exercises can help

Any form of exercise can help build muscle strength, taking pressure off your joints. Exercising regularly will also help you maintain your weight, mobility and balance. Just remember, before you try any of these osteoarthritis knee exercises, be sure to clear your routine with your doctor:

• Stretch every day
• Work with weights, resistance bands, or weight machines, on alternating days
• On most days, engage in moderate, joint-friendly cardio such as swimming, walking and biking. This review of 217 trials found that engaging in one of these three exercises is actually your best option for improving quality of life, mobility and pain experience if you have knee osteoarthritis, leaving authors to suggest they should be “a first line intervention for knee osteoarthritis management, particularly when the aim is to improve functional capacity and reduce pain." 
• Practice yoga or tai chi to boost balance and posture and improve your sleep quality

Specific Stretches to Try Each Day

Daily calf and hamstring stretches can boost your flexibility and the range of motion in your joints while providing some knee pain relief. Before stretching, take a five-minute walk for a gentle warm up. Now, lie down and loop a bedsheet around your left foot, gently pulling your leg straight and keeping it that way for 20 seconds. With your hamstrings addressed, it's time to turn to stand up and pay attention to your calf muscles. Start by grabbing onto a chair for balance, bending your right leg and stepping back with your left. Slowly straighten the left leg behind you, carefully moving the heel toward the floor until you feel a stretch in that back leg. Hold your foot there for 20 seconds before switching sides. And take care with these any any other movements, so that you can avoid worsening your pain or causing any kind of joint damage.

Safer exercise with knee osteoarthritis

When exercising with knee osteoarthritis, these safety tips will help protect your joints. First, start slowly and pay close attention to your body. Make sure trainers or fitness instructors know that you have arthritis before you train with them. And stop exercising and rest if any movement causes pain.

When getting ready to try these osteoarthritis knee exercises, prepare your body with heat. After exercise, ice your joints for up to 20 minutes. And always avoid high-impact workouts, opting for low impact movement instead.

Relieve knee osteoarthritis without surgery

While some patients manage their pain with osteoarthritis knee exercises and other lifestyle measures, those who still experience arthritis pain can find relief without surgery. How? Explore the option of Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) in Georgia.

This is a minimally invasive procedure that relieves pain and inflammation while helping defer or avoid knee replacement surgery. Performed by our interventional radiologist in Georgia, some patients can even delay disease progression by undergoing. Ready to see if you're a candidate for this procedure? Click here to request an appointment!

Reports from the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology have revealed a potential new treatment option for arthritis pain in the knee: low-dose radiotherapy. While initial results were promising for patients with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis, concerning side effects were reported in a small number of study participants. As such, patients may prefer to explore other minimally-invasive treatment options.

Radiotherapy for Arthritis Pain in Knee

The findings on the safety and efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis were based on three different studies from Korea, the US and Germany. In the Korean study, researchers followed 114 participants with arthritis pain in the knee. About 70% of those who received a low 3 Gy dose of radiation, spread out over six sessions, reported significant improvements in function and reductions in pain at the four-month mark, compared to just 42% in a control group.  

In an American study involving 103 patients, 84% of those who received low-dose radiotherapy for hand or knee osteoarthritis experienced significant pain reduction. And a German study that followed more than 4,600 older patients who received radiotherapy for arthritis between 1994 and 2010 noted that there were only three cases where cancer-diagnoses could potentially be related to the earlier radiation exposure. More concerningly, however, 1.4% of those patients went on to develop blood cancers, suggesting providers may want to exercise caution when providing this emerging treatment option.

Lower-Risk Alternatives

Many patients with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis are in need of knee pain relief. But they want to find it without being subjected to an invasive surgery and extended recovery period. For that reason, it’s always exciting when researchers discover less-invasive options, such as low-dose radiotherapy. However, with this treatment protocol still under development, and with potentially concerning side-effects, patients may prefer to undergo procedures with fewer long-term risks.

At the Georgia Knee Institute, we provide patients with just such an option: Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE). This research-backed, minimally-invasive procedure is an FDA-approved treatment for arthritis pain in the knee. Afterward, patients can avoid overnight hospital stays, enjoying a much faster and less painful recovery period. You can explore your candidacy for GAE by contacting our team to request a consultation at one of our three locations in the Greater Atlanta region.

People who have knee osteoarthritis will find relief from some activities, while others could make matters worse. Want to stay safe? Follow this guide from the Georgia Knee Institute, highlighting what you can and can't do if you want to relieve your knee pain caused by arthritis.

Knee Pain Relief and Exercise

Somtimes, exercise can help with knee pain relief, even when you have osteoarthritis. But some exercises could cause more pair or make your condition worsen, unless you take proper care. As such, you should take note of your current joint health levels so that you can monitor any changes in your comfort once you begin a new workout. Also, be sure to clear any new routines with your healthcare provider, making sure you:

Do

• Move gently, incorporating stretches and low-impact exercises. Try walking, biking, swimming or light strength training to support joint health and mobility, while building muscles to take pressure off your joints when you move.
• Think about retraining your gait, since this study suggests that you can delay or avoid knee replacement by a full year simply by changing the angle of your foot as you walk. (Doing so under professional supervision can greatly reduce the pressure activity places on your knee as you move.)
• Consider training with a physical therapist to be sure your form won't compromise your joint health. can
• Rest if you feel tired or experience any kind of discomfort.

Don’t

Jump or engage in repetitive or high impact motions, since that could strain your joints and worsen your condition.

Changing the Way You Live

In order to slow or stop disease progression, or reduce your pain levels:

Do

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight, since every extra pound puts addition pressure on the joints, worsening knee osteoarthritis symptoms.

Don’t

Smoke, as the chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco products can damage the connective tissues in your body, making your knee pain worse.

Medication

You can manage mild arthritis pain with medication, but more severe pain will require additional interventions.

Do

try over the counter options such as Aleve, Tylenol or Advil; they can provide relief for intermittent pain. Just be sure to clear any medications with your healthcare provider to ensure safety and to avoid interactions with other medications. YTopical joint pain relievers containing capsaicin may also be helpful.

Don’t

Overuse pain medications, since that can lead to unintended and even dangerous side effects, especially if taken in high doses, or long time periods. If occasional medication isn't providing sufficient relief, it's time to start looking at a medical knee procedure that will provide a longer lasting solution.

Genicular Artery Embolization: Non-Surgical Knee Pain Relief in Atlanta

If you need a non-surgical arthritis treatment that provides superior relief, it's time to consider Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE). This minimally invasive procedure is a great option for those who wish to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery, and you can explore your candidacy by requesting a consultation at the Georgia Knee Institute.

Many people with knee osteoarthritis experience persistent joint pain. Yet, for a variety of reasons, they delay seeking medical attention, choosing to manage their symptoms with remedies such as over-the-counter pain medication. Unfortunately, new research reveals the hidden danger in such decisions.

Delayed Joint Pain Treatment: What’s the Danger?

A recent study in BMC Geriatrics looked at the rate of joint pain occurrence in patients above the age of 45 residing in India. Next, they examined how quickly those patients sought medical attention for their condition. And here’s what they found: while 47% of study participants experienced joint pain, the vast majority delayed seeking medical care, instead managing their symptoms with home remedies or over-the-counter medication. Unfortunately, that means many people will experience progressively debilitating symptoms, necessitating more invasive interventions when the finally do seek care.

So, why do people avoid getting help for their joint pain? When that pain is caused by knee osteoarthritis, we know that many patients worry they will be told that surgery is their only option if they want knee pain relief. Luckily, thanks to advancements in the field of Interventional Radiology, that is no longer the case.

Minimally Invasive Joint Pain Relief

Today, when patients are suffering from knee pain du to osteoarthritis, they can choose to undergo Genicular Artery Embolization, or GAE. This minimally-invasive procedure, available at the Georgia Knee Institute, relieves the pain of osteoarthritis by blocking blood flow to the inflamed area. Many patients also find that their range of motion and their mobility improves following this procedure. And, for those who are afraid of invasive procedures, GAE also allows patients to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery.

Have you been dealing with joint pain on your own, afraid to seek medical attention? Stop delaying your care and request a consultation with our specialists. When you visit one of our three locations in Georgia, we can discuss non-surgical treatments to relieve your discomfort and slow or prevent arthritis progression.

If you’re worried about your joint health, you may wonder, what does arthritis knee pain feel like? In this post, we highlight the signs and symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. We also explain treatment options, and when it’s time to see a doctor.

What Does Arthritis Knee Pain Feel Like?

While every person is different, knee osteoarthritis pain often feels like a dull ache. However, at times the pain can be sharp or even wake you up at night. For some, the discomfort is constant, while others experience intermittent pain that’s noticeably worse following high-impact activities or extended periods of movement. In addition to pain, osteoarthritis in your knee joint can cause stiffness. Your range of motion may be reduced, and the area may be tender to the touch. Bone spurs could form around your knee joint, causing hard, noticeable lumps to form. Your knees may feel wobbly, or they could lock up when you want to move. And you may notice cracking or popping sounds when you engage in weight-bearing activities.

Finding Relief at Home

Initially, you may find knee pain relief without medical intervention. Over-the-counter medications, icing the joint and engaging in physical therapy can all help make arthritis knee pain feel more manageable. However, osteoarthritis is a progressive condition. So, with time, you may need to seek medical intervention in order to manage your pain and preserve your mobility.

What Does Arthritis Knee Pain Feel Like Without Intervention?

Untreated knee osteoarthritis will worsen over time, resulting in increased pain, reduced range of motion in your joint and potential limits on your mobility. Of course, surgical treatment for arthritis in the knee is very invasive, and can result in months of rehab and recovery. Want to manage your knee pain due to arthritis without undergoing knee replacement surgery? GAE, or genicular artery embolization, is a minimally invasive procedure that reduces inflammation in the lining of your knee joint. In turn, patients experience pain relief and improved mobility while delaying or avoiding surgery altogether. To see if GAE is the right way for you to make arthritis knee pain feel better, we encourage you to contact our team at the Georgia Knee Institute and request a consultation.

If you have osteoarthritis of the knee and you want to find relief, there are knee replacement alternatives. And, due to medical advancements, many relieve pain without surgery. Today, we'll explore several options gaining popularity in 2025.

Genicular artery embolization (GAE): Proven knee replacement alternatives

GAE is a non-surgical knee replacement alternative that our Interventional Radiologists perform at the Georgie Knee Institute. The procedure relieves arthritis pain and inflammation by restricting blood flow to the affected knee joint lining. Backed by science, this 2020 study shows that GAE can effective relieve or reduce moderate to severe osteoarthritis knee pain. And it may prevent disease progression and limits on mobility.

New Findings on Metformin

Scientists at Monash University shared new research on the diabetes drug Metformin. They found that obese or overweight diabetic patients could relieve OA knee pain by taking this medication. Now, they emphasized that the small study size (of just 107 participants) meant that the study should be repeated with a larger sample size. Still, chief researcher Professor Flavia Cicuttini noted this could provide an important alternative to knee replacement surgery. And that's a big deal, since she noted that “Patient dissatisfaction with knee replacements is already high at between 20-30 per cent, even when the operation is technically perfect. Dissatisfaction rates are highest when the operation is done for early knee OA... The best outcome for patients is to delay the knee replacements until it is absolutely needed.”

In-Ear Nerve Stimulation: An Emerging Option

Emphasizing the importance of finding more knee replacement alternatives, the team at UT El Paso is investigating in-ear vagus nerve stimulation for OA knee pain relief. Already, their trials found that 37% of patients found significant relief from this treatment. And it was non-invasive, with no significant side effects. Moving forward, future trials hope to confim that the relief was not the result of a placebo effect.

Injections for Arthritis Knee Pain

Some patients prefer injectible knee replacement alternatives. One option involves injecting hyaluronic acid to the inflamed joint, providing lubrication and shock absorption to reduce pain. However, the Arthritis Foundation does not endorse this treatment due to limited research.

The same is true for dextrose solution injections, which are supposed to fight osteoarthritis knee pain. through the power of regenerative medicine. In theory, this injection sends reparitive blood flow to the knee, reducing pain and stiffness. But, again, it is not Arthritis Foundation endorsed.

Now, patients with mild to moderate arthritis knee pain may reduce pain and boost mobility with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections. With results that last up to one year, this injection stimulates your body's own healing ability. However, more research is needed to confirm its efficacy for knee pain due to arthritis.

Knee replacement alternatives backed by research

We know you want to relieve your knee pain without having surgery. But we also know that you want knee replacement alternatives that have been well researched. And that's exactly what we provide! Click here to request an appointment at the Georgia Knee Institute and discover if you're a candidate for GAE!

Knee pain caused by osteoarthritis can keep you from enjoying your favorite activities.  Once, your best treatment option would have been a total knee replacement surgery. But the surgery is expensive and invasive; afterward, you face a long recovery, and you might not find adequate relief. As such, many people hoped for a non-surgical alternative. Today, that's available thanks to supplements, medications such as semaglutide and genicular artery embolization (GAE), a minimally-invasive procedure that reduces or eliminates osteoarthritis discomfort in the knee without general anesthesia or overnight stays in the hospital. Learn all about this and other treatment options in today's post.

Turmeric Supplements

If you want to address your pain in a completely non-invasive manner, try taking a daily turmeric supplement. Why? This study in the Annals of Internal Medicine revealed that people who took 1000mg of a turmeric supplement for a 12-week period experienced noticeable osteoarthritis pain relief in their knees. Still, the supplements didn't help reduce swelling or cartilage damage, so many needed to seek alternative treatment options.

Semaglutide as a Non-Surgical Treatment for Knee Pain

New research published in The New England Journal of Medicine revealed that a once weekly dose of Ozempic, Wegovy or a generic semaglutide could provide knee pain relief when patients have osteoarthritis and are obese. However, this medication is unlikely to prove effective in individuals who are already at a healthy weight. For that reason, these patients may wish to explore GAE as a non-surgical treatment option.

Medications Under Investigation

The drug company Novartis had been conducting a proof-of-concept clinical trial, studying an injectable medication to provide osteoarthritis patients with knee pain relief. But the trial didn't go as planned. And now, they've announced its termination after realizing that the medication was not delivering sufficient pain relief to make it a viable treatment option.

Genicular Artery Embolization: Non-Surgical Relief for Knee Pain

For many patients, GAE is a better knee pain treatment than knee surgery. Why, because the procedure is less-invasive and non-surgical, complication risks are minimal risk for complications. Avoiding overnight hospital stays and general anesthesia also makes GAE less expensive than surgery, and insurance will usually cover the procedure.  Plus, by addressing inflammation, a key cause of osteoarthritis knee pain, it can effectively improve your quality of life by reducing pain and boosting mobility.

Inside the GAE Procedure

To perform the Genicular Artery Embolization, we direct a catheter to target the genicular arteries around your knee, then we deposit embolic material that will reduce blood flow to those arteries. With less blood flow comes less inflammation, allowing most patients to experience knee pain relief and improved mobility after GAE.

Inside the Post-GAE Recovery Period

Most patients resume normal activities a few days after starting their GAE recovery. But knee pain relief will first start 4-6 weeks after GAE. (Results will improve further over time.) Plus, because the procedure is minimally invasive, discomfort after GAE is typically mild, usually manageable with over-the-counter pain medication.

Do you want non-surgical knee pain relief? Do you want to treat knee osteoarthritis with an alternative to surgery? GAE could be your best treatment option. Click here to request a consultation at the Georgia Knee Institute, and we’ll review your candidacy for genicular artery embolization.

When you develop knee osteoarthritis, you may experience pain, swelling, stiffness and a limited range of motion in your joints. As such, you may need to seek a medical procedure in order to find relief. Unfortunately, diagnoses in post-menopausal women are on the rise, according to research. And, since younger patients often wish to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery, this could lead a large population of women to seek alternative treatment options. Here's what you need to know.  

Knee Osteoarthritis after Menopause

After reviewing data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study to discover important health trends, this study noted a 1.3 fold increase arthritis diagnoses for post-menopausal women in the years between 1990 and 2021. Notably, there was an increase in all forms of arthritis, but cases of knee osteoarthritis increased the most. And, despite contributing factors including age and weight, researchers identified menopause as the biggest reason for this increase. For that reason, they noted that post-menopausal women should be given more frequent and better screenings to reduce their arthritis risk factors.

Finding Knee Pain Relief in Your 50s

Many women enter menopause (defined as not having a period for one full year) by the time they are 50. And passing that milestone means they immediately have an increased risk for knee osteoarthritis. Moreover, if you develop osteoarthritis in your 50s, you may need knee pain relief after several years. But, at that stage, you would not want to undergo knee replacement surgery, since implants typically need to be replaced after 20 years.

Are you dealing with knee osteoarthritis, but want relief without the need for invasive surgery? Do you want to avoid general anesthesia and overnight hospital stays while reducing your pain and protecting your mobility? Genicular artery embolization (GAE) could be right for you! This is a minimally invasive treatment that can help you delay or avoid surgery. Reach out to our team at the Georgia Knee Institute to start exploring your candidacy.

When you're looking for knee pain relief from osteoarthritis, you may face a lot of expenses, due to the ongoing cost of solutions such as medication and physical therapy. Even worse? They often fail to provide effective relief. So, if you want to alleviate knee osteoarthritis pain while preserving your mobility, sparing your wallet, and avoiding surgery? It’s time to learn more about GAE (genicular artery embolization), since the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) just concluded that this minimally invasive procedure is a cost-effective knee osteoarthritis treatment.

The Cost of Resolving Knee Pain Due to Osteoarthritis

Joint pain in the knees is a problem for at least 80% of individuals with osteoarthritis. As such, it's not surprising that providing those individuals with knee pain relief costs over $80 billion according to this just-released study. Now, you can treat knee osteoarthritis in a variety of ways, but this study looked at three of them: GAE, RFA [radiofrequency ablation] and CS [corticosteroid injection], exploring their associated costs over a four-year period. Here’s what their findings revealed.

GAE: The Most Cost-Effective Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment

GAE, RFA and CS, the three treatments compared in the study, all provide non-surgical knee pain relief. But when it comes to their associated expenses over the course of the study, researchers noted that “GAE was consistently the most likely cost-effective treatment option compared to RFA and CS.” They also hoped that this information would help patients narrow down their knee osteoarthritis treatment options.

Of course, how much you pay for the GAE procedure depends on several factors, including your insurance coverage. Still, this minimally invasive procedure will improve your quality of life by reducing your pain and improving your mobility, all without surgery. Want to learn more about GAE, from the costs to your candidacy for the procedure? Reach out to our team at the Georgia Knee institute so we can answer all your questions.

If you have knee osteoarthritis we know you want to avoid anything worsening your pain. So, how can you protect your joints and find lasting relief? Here's what you need to know.

What Makes Knee Pain Worse?

To avoid triggering knee osteoarthritis pain, steer clear of these four triggers.

1. Avoiding movement.

If you have osteoarthritis, you may think that sitting still and resting your joints will help you find knee pain relief. But the opposite is true: moving your knees less actually weakens your joints. So, what's a better way forward? Speak to your healthcare provider about safe exercise choices such as cycling with osteoarthritis of the knee, since these movements can help lubricate your joints and preserve your mobility.

2. Carrying excess weight

Any pound you carry above your ideal weight puts excess pressure on your knee joints. In fact, weight is such a knee pain trigger, this study found that taking the weight-loss drug Semaglutide once a week helps individuals with obesity reduce knee pain. As such, reaching and staying at a healthy weight could reduce your osteoarthritis burden.

3. Wearing unsupportive shoes

If you walk around in shoes that lack support, or you wear high heels, you're upping the pressure on your knee joints. Instead, look for supportive footwear with plenty of shock absorption. That can lighten the load on your knees.

4. Pushing through pain

Early osteoarthritis pain may be managed with over-the-counter medications. However, since arthritis is progressive, this solution won't last forever. For that reason, you should start taking action as soon as you notice knee pain. Start by receiving a diagnosis from your healthcare, making sure to avoid what makes knee pain worse. Then, if you need further knee pain relief, we encourage you to reach out [/tx-appt-link] to the Georgia Knee Institute. Our interventional radiologists perform Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) for knee pain relief. It's a minimally invasive procedure that relieves pain and inflammation without surgery. You can explore your candidacy and learn more about 'What is GAE' here.