Physical therapy for
knee pain

Does physical therapy help knee pain?

Yes. For many people, physical therapy is one of the most effective ways to manage knee pain, improve movement, and stay active. It focuses on building strength, restoring joint mobility, improving balance and movement control, and helping your nervous system become less sensitive to pain over time. ^{1 2 3}

For common causes of knee pain such as osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain around the kneecap, degenerative meniscal tears, and many ligament injuries, guidelines recommend exercise based care as a first line treatment. These programs can reduce pain, improve function, and support daily tasks like walking, stairs, and getting out of a chair. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

Physical therapy is usually recommended before injections or surgery. For example, in people with degenerative meniscal tears, several large trials show that a structured exercise program works as well as arthroscopic surgery for pain and function over years of follow up. ^{5 6 7} In knee osteoarthritis, land based exercise and weight management are core treatments because they help many people move better and may delay or avoid knee replacement. ^{1 2 15}

Unlike passive treatments such as long rest, repeated injections, or relying only on braces, physical therapy teaches you skills. You learn how to adjust your activity, strengthen your muscles, and change movement patterns so your knee is supported in the long term, not only on the treatment table. ^{1 2 3}

Goals of physical therapy for knee pain

Your program will be tailored to your diagnosis, pain level, and daily life, but most plans focus on clear short term and long term goals.

Short term goals

1. Reduce pain, stiffness, and swelling so walking, standing, and basic tasks feel easier. ^{1 2}
2. Improve how your knee bends and straightens, so you can get in and out of chairs, cars, and bed with less strain. ^{1 3}
3. Help you tolerate weight on the leg again, with a smoother walking pattern and fewer feelings of “giving way.” ^{3 4}
4. Support you in adjusting activities, such as changing how far or how often you walk, so symptoms calm rather than flare. ^{1 2}

Long term goals

1. Build strong quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip muscles so your knee joint is better supported during daily life, sport, and work. ^{1 2 3}
2. Improve balance and movement control, which can reduce the risk of falls and future knee injuries. ^{3 4}
3. Restore confidence with stairs, kneeling, squatting, and recreational activities that may feel scary after pain or injury. ^{3 4 5}
4. Help you manage your condition over time with exercise, pacing, and lifestyle changes, so you rely less on medications or procedures.^{1 2 5}
5. When osteoarthritis is present, delay or sometimes avoid surgery by improving strength, weight management, and joint tolerance to load. ^{1 2 15}

No two knees are the same. Someone with early patellofemoral pain will have a different plan and timeline than someone with long-standing osteoarthritis or a recent ligament injury.

What results can I expect with physical therapy?

Recovery depends on what is causing your knee pain, how long you have had symptoms, and how consistently you can follow your plan. Research gives some useful patterns.

• Knee osteoarthritis: In many people, land based strengthening, balance work, and aerobic exercise lead to meaningful improvements in pain and function within about 6 to 12 weeks, especially when combined with weight loss if body mass index is higher.^{1 2} Results are best when exercise becomes an ongoing habit rather than a short program.
• Patellofemoral (kneecap) pain: Programs that combine hip and knee strengthening, movement retraining, and sometimes taping or foot orthoses often improve symptoms over 6 to 12 weeks. ^{3 12} Recurrences can happen, but risk is lower when you keep some strengthening and avoid sudden jumps in training volume. ^{3 12}
• Degenerative meniscal tears: Multiple high quality trials show that a twelve week exercise program gives similar pain and function outcomes to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy at two to ten years for many adults. ^{5 6 7} Surgery is usually reserved for knees that truly lock or do not improve after a full course of rehabilitation.
• Ligament injuries: After an anterior cruciate ligament or other ligament injury, people usually follow a longer, structured plan that includes swelling control, range of motion, strength, and movement training. Return to cutting and pivoting sports is based on meeting strength and functional test goals, not just time.⁴

Digital programs can also be effective. In a randomized trial of people with chronic low back pain, a fully remote, exercise based digital care program achieved similar improvements in pain and function to conventional in person physical therapy, with high adherence and satisfaction.¹⁷ This supports digital physical therapy as a safe, effective way to deliver guideline based knee care, when adapted to your needs.

Every recovery journey is different. Some people feel better within weeks, while others need several months of steady work, especially with long-standing pain. Your clinician can help you set expectations and adjust the plan as you go.

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 best first step for knee pain treatment is a plan that combines education, strengthening, load management, and weight changes when needed, with surgery kept as a later option only if symptoms stay severe.