Non-Surgical Knee Pain Treatment London - Options That Actually Help
Every step hurts. Stairs have become your enemy. The activities you used to enjoy without thinking now require planning around your knee pain.
Surgery seems like the only option left. But what if it is not?
Non-surgical knee treatments have advanced significantly. Many people avoid or delay surgery entirely through regenerative therapies, targeted injections, and proper rehabilitation.
Why Non-Surgical Treatment Matters
Knee surgery is major. Recovery takes months. Outcomes are not guaranteed. And once you have a knee replacement, it eventually needs replacing again.
For many people, non-surgical approaches provide significant pain relief and improved function. Even when surgery becomes necessary eventually, delaying it means fewer replacement surgeries over your lifetime.
Exploring non-surgical options first simply makes sense.
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Understanding Your Knee Pain
Effective treatment requires accurate diagnosis. Knee pain has many causes and each responds to different approaches.
Osteoarthritis is wear and tear degeneration of joint cartilage. It causes stiffness, aching, and pain that worsens with activity. It is the most common cause of knee pain in people over 50.
Meniscus tears affect the cartilage pads that cushion the knee. They cause clicking, catching, and pain with twisting movements.
Ligament injuries including ACL and MCL damage cause instability and pain, often following sports injuries.
Tendinopathy affects the tendons around the knee, causing localised pain that worsens with specific activities.
Bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the knee joint.
Your consultation includes thorough assessment to identify exactly what is causing your pain.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options
PRP Injections
Platelet-rich plasma therapy uses concentrated growth factors from your own blood to stimulate healing. For knee osteoarthritis and soft tissue injuries, PRP can reduce pain, decrease inflammation, and potentially slow cartilage degeneration.
Multiple studies show PRP outperforms placebo and often matches or exceeds results from steroid injections, with longer lasting benefits.
Hyaluronic Acid Injections
Also called viscosupplementation, these injections add cushioning fluid to arthritic joints. They can provide several months of pain relief and improved mobility.
Steroid Injections
Corticosteroid injections reduce inflammation quickly. They provide temporary relief but are not a long-term solution and cannot be repeated indefinitely.
Physiotherapy
Targeted exercises strengthen muscles supporting the knee, improve flexibility, and optimise movement patterns. Physiotherapy is often essential alongside injection therapies.
Weight Management
Every pound of body weight puts four pounds of pressure on your knees. Even modest weight loss significantly reduces knee stress.
Book your knee assessment via WhatsApp
Why We Recommend PRP for Knee Pain
PRP addresses the underlying problem rather than just masking pain. The growth factors stimulate your body's repair mechanisms, potentially slowing degeneration and promoting tissue healing.
Unlike steroids, PRP does not weaken tissue with repeated use. Unlike surgery, it requires no downtime. Unlike painkillers, it treats the cause rather than the symptom.
Results develop over weeks as healing occurs. Most patients require a series of injections for optimal benefit.
What to Expect From Treatment
Your journey begins with consultation and assessment. We review any imaging you have and may recommend additional scans if needed.
If PRP is appropriate, treatment involves a blood draw, processing to concentrate platelets, and injection into the knee under ultrasound guidance for precision.
You can walk out of the clinic immediately. Some temporary soreness is normal. Most patients begin noticing improvement within four to six weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I need surgery or can try non-surgical treatment? Many factors influence this decision including your age, activity level, severity of damage, and previous treatments. We can advise based on your specific situation.
How many PRP injections will I need? Typically two to three injections spaced several weeks apart. Some patients benefit from annual maintenance treatments.
Will insurance cover PRP? Most private insurance does not currently cover PRP. We provide transparent self-pay pricing.
Can PRP help bone-on-bone arthritis? Results are generally better in mild to moderate arthritis. Severe bone-on-bone cases may have limited benefit, though some patients still experience improvement.
Do not assume surgery is your only option.
