Knee Injections London. Every Option Compared
There are 4 main injections for a painful arthritic knee in London. Steroid works fastest but usually lasts weeks. Hyaluronic acid lubricates the joint and lasts months for some people. PRP uses your own blood and has the largest trial base of the newer options, with pooled data favouring it over hyaluronic acid. Arthrosamid is a permanent gel given once. None of them regrows cartilage, and the best choice depends on your diagnosis, how severe the arthritis is, and what you want from treatment.
Key points
Knee injections treat symptoms. They do not reverse osteoarthritis, and they work best alongside strengthening exercise and weight management, which remain the foundation of treatment.
Steroid relieves pain quickly, but benefit usually fades within weeks and repeated injections are best avoided.
Meta-analyses of randomised trials favour PRP over hyaluronic acid for pain and function at 6 and 12 months, although a 2021 trial in JAMA found PRP no better than placebo. The evidence is favourable but contested.
Specialist London clinics list knee injections from around £525 for steroid to £2,995 for Arthrosamid. Joint PRP at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness is from £595 to £995 per treatment.
Not sure which injection is right for your knee? Message our doctors on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
Before any injection, the diagnosis
Knee pain has many causes besides osteoarthritis, including meniscus tears, tendon problems around the kneecap, ligament injuries and pain referred from the hip. Each responds to different treatment, so an injection chosen before a diagnosis is a guess. A good assessment includes a full examination of the knee and hip, a look at how you walk, and imaging where it will change the decision. Our guide to meniscus problems is PRP for meniscus tear.
The 4 main options
Steroid
What it is. A corticosteroid, often with local anaesthetic, that reduces inflammation in the joint.
What the evidence shows. Steroid gives the fastest short-term relief of the injection options. Benefit usually lasts weeks rather than months, and repeated injections may not be good for cartilage over time.
Who it suits. A knee that is hot and swollen during a flare, or someone who needs short-term relief for an event or while waiting for surgery.
What it costs. A specialist London joint clinic lists an ultrasound-guided steroid injection at £525.
Our full comparison is PRP vs steroid injection.
Hyaluronic acid
What it is. A gel similar to the natural lubricant in the joint, given as 1 to 3 injections depending on the product.
What the evidence shows. Some people get meaningful relief for several months, while others notice little. Benefit over placebo in pooled trials is modest.
Who it suits. Mild to moderate arthritis in someone who prefers not to use steroid.
What it costs. A specialist London joint clinic lists an ultrasound-guided hyaluronic acid injection at £625.
PRP
What it is. Platelet-rich plasma prepared from a small sample of your own blood and injected into the joint, usually as a course of 1 to 3 treatments.
What the evidence shows. A 2025 meta-analysis of randomised trials in the Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics, with 6 and 12 month follow-up, favours PRP over hyaluronic acid for pain and function. A well-conducted 2021 randomised trial in JAMA by Bennell and colleagues found PRP no better than saline placebo at 12 months. We grade the evidence as favourable but contested and explain both sides before anyone decides.
Who it suits. Mild to moderate arthritis, younger and active patients, and people who want a treatment made from their own blood that leaves nothing permanent in the joint.
What it costs. Specialist London clinics list PRP for the knee from £660 to £1,095 per injection, often with a separate consultation. At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, joint PRP is from £595 to £995 per treatment.
Our full comparison is PRP vs hyaluronic acid.
Arthrosamid
What it is. A permanent gel of 2.5 percent polyacrylamide that integrates into the lining of the joint after a single injection.
What the evidence shows. In a 2024 randomised trial of 239 patients, it was as effective as hyaluronic acid for knee pain at 26 weeks, with about 65 percent of patients in each group responding. Side effects at the injection site, mainly pain and swelling, were more common, at 28.9 percent versus 7.6 percent.
Who it suits. Moderate to advanced arthritis with a swollen knee, in someone who accepts a permanent implant.
What it costs. Typically £2,000 to £3,500 per knee in the UK, with one London clinic listing £2,995.
Our full comparison is Arthrosamid vs PRP.
Want a recommendation across every option? Ask our doctors on WhatsApp.
Which injection for which knee
Early arthritis in an active person
PRP is usually the first injection we consider, alongside a strengthening programme, because it targets longer-term function rather than short-term relief.
A hot, swollen flare
Steroid often gives the quickest relief. If flares keep returning, a longer-acting option is worth discussing.
Moderate to advanced arthritis with swelling
PRP, hyaluronic acid and Arthrosamid are all reasonable. The choice rests on how much you value a single permanent injection against a repeatable treatment from your own blood.
Severe arthritis with pain at night and at rest
Injections may still help for a time, but a surgical opinion is the right next step. Our guide for younger patients is too young for a knee replacement.
What we do not recommend
Keyhole surgery to wash out or trim an arthritic knee, which trials show does not help most people, as explained in keyhole knee surgery for arthritis.
What happens at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness
You are assessed by a doctor who examines the knee, hip and the way you walk. X-ray or MRI is arranged at the London centre best equipped for that question if you do not already have recent imaging. You then receive a written recommendation across every option, including those we do not provide, with the reasons for it.
If PRP is right, blood is drawn from your arm and prepared to a consistent, validated protocol, then injected into the knee under ultrasound guidance. The appointment takes 45 to 60 minutes and you walk out afterwards. Improvement usually builds over 6 to 12 weeks alongside strengthening, and we review progress at set points. The evidence for each condition we treat is summarised in PRP success rates.
What it costs
At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, there are 3 ways to begin.
The diagnostic package, from £695, covers assessment, imaging and blood tests, and gives you a written recommendation across every knee injection and alternative.
Joint PRP is from £595 to £995 per treatment.
A course of 1 to 3 treatments with rehabilitation is what most knee plans involve, with the exact figure confirmed in writing before you commit. More detail is in joint PRP cost in London.
Ask what your knee plan would cost. Message us on WhatsApp.
Why people choose The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness
Every treatment is performed by a GMC-registered doctor, and no clinician treats a patient here until they have completed 100 supervised treatments. Every option is weighed at assessment, including steroid, hyaluronic acid, Arthrosamid and surgery, so the recommendation you receive fits your knee rather than our menu. We also train other doctors in joint PRP through our Academy.
We see patients at 10 Portman Square in Marylebone and the Light Centre in Belgravia. Across our work we report an 87 percent patient success rate and more than 187 five-star reviews. Every treatment we offer is in PRP treatment London.
Book your knee assessment. Message us on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com, or call +44 20 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions about knee injections
What is the best injection for knee arthritis?
It depends on the knee. Steroid gives the fastest short-term relief, PRP has the strongest pooled evidence against hyaluronic acid for longer-term function, and Arthrosamid offers a single permanent injection. A diagnosis should come first.
How long do knee injections last?
Steroid usually lasts weeks. Hyaluronic acid and PRP can last several months to a year in people who respond. Arthrosamid is designed to be permanent, with benefit reported for several years in follow-up studies.
How much do knee injections cost in London?
Specialist London clinics list steroid at around £525, hyaluronic acid at £625, PRP from £660 to £1,095 and Arthrosamid at around £2,995. At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, joint PRP is from £595 to £995 per treatment.
Is PRP better than steroid for the knee?
Steroid works faster. Pooled trials suggest PRP gives longer-lasting improvement, although a 2021 JAMA trial found PRP no better than placebo, so the evidence is favourable but contested.
Can knee injections regrow cartilage?
No. None of the current injections has been shown to regrow cartilage. They aim to reduce pain and improve function.
Should knee injections be ultrasound guided?
Yes. Ultrasound guidance improves accuracy, particularly in knees with little fluid or where a specific structure is being treated. At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, every knee injection is given under ultrasound guidance.
This article is for information and does not replace personal medical advice. All treatments at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness are performed by GMC-registered doctors. Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness. Last updated October 2026.
