Knee pain: symptoms and relief

Knee pain can change the way you move, from how you get out of a chair to how you climb stairs or play with your kids. You might avoid squatting, kneeling, or long walks because your knee hurts, swells, or feels unsteady. In older adults, knee osteoarthritis (joint wear) is one of the most common reasons to see a doctor, and its impact is growing as people live longer and rates of overweight and obesity rise.^{1 2 14 15}

In younger and active people, problems around the kneecap and sports injuries are common sources of knee pain³. The positive news is that for many people, symptoms improve with education, exercise, and load management, often without surgery.^{1 2 3 5}

What are the symptoms of knee pain?

People with knee pain often notice:

• Aching, sharp, or throbbing pain in or around the knee joint
• Pain that gets worse with activity such as walking, stairs, squatting, or running
• Stiffness, especially first thing in the morning or after sitting, which often eases with gentle movement in osteoarthritis¹
• Swelling or a feeling of fullness inside the knee
• Grinding, crunching, or crackling sounds when you bend and straighten the knee
• A sense that the knee may buckle or give way, especially with pivoting or walking on uneven ground
• Pain at the front of the knee or around the kneecap with stairs, squats, running, or sitting with bent knees for a long time, often called patellofemoral pain^{3 12}
• Pain along the inner or outer joint line, sometimes with swelling after activity and a feeling of catching, often seen with degenerative meniscal tears  (wear and tear injuries of the cushion cartilage)^{1 5 6}
• Sudden swelling and difficulty walking after a twist, pivot, or direct blow, which can suggest a ligament or meniscal injury⁴
• Local pain just below the kneecap during or after jumping or heavy squats, common in patellar tendinopathy (tendon disease)⁵

A hot, very tender, swollen knee, sometimes with fever or feeling unwell, which can signal infection or crystal disease (e.g. gout) and needs urgent care.¹¹

What causes knee pain?

Knee pain usually comes from a mix of joint wear, soft tissue strain, past injuries, and how the leg and foot move. Understanding the cause helps guide safe and effective treatment.

Key causes and risk factors include:

• Degenerative changes and osteoarthritis
• Traumatic injuries
• Overuse and biomechanical factors
• Systemic, crystal, and infectious causes

Not everyone with these risks will develop knee pain, but they make problems more likely, especially when combined.

When should I see a doctor?

Most mild knee aches improve with simple care and movement. Still, it is important to get prompt medical help when there are warning signs.

You should also see a doctor or physical therapist if knee pain lasts longer than 4 to 6 weeks, keeps returning, or stops you from doing important daily activities, work, or sport.

How is knee pain treated?

For most people, knee pain improves with a plan that focuses on education, progressive exercise, and load management, along with weight management when needed. Surgery and injections are usually reserved for clear indications after a good trial of non surgical care.^{1 2 3 5}

Typical parts of a treatment plan include:

• Education and activity changes
• Exercise based rehabilitation
• Supports and orthoses (external devices thar support bone and joints)
• Medications
• Injections
• Surgery

Recovery expectations (these are general patterns, not promises):

• Many mild overuse problems improve over several weeks with load changes and exercise.
• Patellofemoral pain often improves within 6 to 12 weeks of structured strengthening and movement retraining, though recurrence can happen if loads jump suddenly again. ^{3 12}
• For degenerative meniscal tears, people who complete structured physical therapy usually have similar outcomes at several years to those who have arthroscopy. ^{5 6 7}

Osteoarthritis tends to fluctuate over years, but many people can reduce pain and improve function with ongoing exercise, weight management, and periodic flare management, sometimes avoiding or delaying surgery. ^{1 2 15}

[Diagnosis & Treatment →]

Sword's approach

Sword Health helps people manage pain and movement issues with expert-guided AI care you can use from home. Our model combines clinical support with modern technology, designed to work around your life.

Sword makes recovery easier and more accessible. You get high-quality care at home, guided by clinicians and supported by smart technology.

• Care that adapts to your progress in real time
• Licensed experts guiding every step
• Simple, non-invasive, evidence-based programs
• Proven results for pain relief, movement, and satisfaction

Clinical insight

For many people, the better first step is a structured plan that combines education, strengthening, weight management when needed, and behavior support. There is growing evidence that digital physical therapy programs can match in person care for other chronic musculoskeletal problems.