Living with hip or knee osteoarthritis
Updated: 17 hours ago
By Andy Duckmanton, BOst (Hons), GOsC registered osteopath.
Editorial update: 13 November 2026.
Hip or knee osteoarthritis can make walking, stairs, dressing or getting out of a chair uncomfortable. Symptoms may be intermittent or may interfere substantially with daily life. Care should focus on what you want to do more comfortably.
Understanding the diagnosis
Osteoarthritis affects several tissues within a joint. It is not simply a prediction that the joint will keep wearing away until it needs replacement. Symptoms and their effect on daily life do not always match the appearance on an X-ray.
Hip symptoms may involve the groin, thigh or knee, with difficulty putting on shoes. Knee symptoms may be noticeable on stairs, after sitting or during longer walks. Other problems can cause similar symptoms, so assessment matters.
A typical presentation can often be diagnosed clinically without routine imaging. Tests may help when features are unusual, another condition is suspected or the result would change management.
Exercise and everyday goals
A useful goal might be getting out of your usual chair more easily or walking to a nearby shop. Choose a starting amount that fits your current ability and health, then review how the task feels and what you can manage afterwards. You do not need to test yourself to exhaustion to establish a starting point.
Different parts of care have different purposes: exercise builds strength and function; optional hands-on care may offer symptom relief alongside exercise; and a GP or specialist can help when symptoms need further assessment or other treatment choices. Judge the plan by what it helps you do, not by a promise to repair cartilage.
Some discomfort can occur when beginning exercise. Ask how to recognise a manageable response, adjust the amount and decide when reassessment is needed. An exercise that is too difficult can often be adapted.
The Getting active guide includes ideas for walking and everyday movement. An individual programme can take account of other health conditions, confidence and access to equipment or support.
Other options to discuss
A walking aid, changes to demanding tasks or appropriate pain relief may help. If weight management is relevant, support can be discussed sensitively alongside the rest of your care. A pharmacist or GP can explain medicine choices and risks in relation to your health history.
Selected injections or a surgical opinion may be considered when appropriate. Referral for joint replacement depends on the impact on quality of life and whether suitable non-surgical care has helped, rather than the presence of arthritis on an image alone.
Where hands-on care fits
For hip and knee osteoarthritis, NICE says manual therapy may be considered alongside therapeutic exercise. Evidence is insufficient to support using it alone. It does not restore cartilage or reverse the underlying joint changes.
If hands-on care is included, agree what benefit you are looking for and when to review it. Any short-term relief should contribute to a useful overall plan rather than lead automatically to repeated appointments.
When to seek further advice
A sudden hot, swollen or very painful joint needs urgent medical advice, especially with fever or feeling unwell. Contact NHS 111 for a knee that locks, gives way, cannot take weight or has changed shape. A new problem should not automatically be attributed to your usual osteoarthritis.
Read the knee pain guide for further warning signs. If progress remains limited, discuss another assessment or treatment route; Choosing the right help explains the options.
Sources and further information
Sources checked: 13 October 2026.