Condition information
Understanding your pathway
What is knee pain?
Knee pain can affect walking, stairs, work and sleep. It may follow an injury or develop gradually. The location of pain, swelling, stiffness and any instability help distinguish possible causes. Persistent symptoms deserve assessment, especially when they are reducing activity or confidence in using the knee. [1][2]
What can contribute?
Possible contributors include osteoarthritis, ligament or meniscal injury, patellofemoral pain, tendon problems and bursitis. Infection and inflammatory arthritis require different care. Symptoms after knee replacement also need review for causes related to the joint or implant before they are treated as a general persistent pain problem. [1][3][4]
Common presentations and symptoms
People may notice swelling, reduced movement, pain with loading, locking or a feeling that the knee gives way. The significance depends on the history and examination. A rapidly swollen knee after injury, or a hot joint when you feel unwell, should not be managed as a routine flare. [1][3][4]
Assessment and diagnosis
A clinician examines the knee and reviews previous injury, treatment and walking ability. Investigations are chosen for the suspected problem. For typical osteoarthritis, diagnosis can often be clinical; scans are not automatically required to begin supported exercise or to discuss how symptoms affect daily function. [1][3][4]
Management options
For knee osteoarthritis, tailored exercise and weight management where relevant are core options. Medicines require an individual risk-benefit discussion. Corticosteroid injection may provide short-term relief in selected cases; routine hyaluronan injections are not recommended by NICE. Nerve procedures and surgery require separate assessment, with benefits and limitations explained. [1][3][4][5]
When should I seek urgent care?
Seek urgent care for a hot, red, swollen knee with fever, a major injury, deformity or inability to bear weight. A knee that locks or repeatedly gives way also needs clinical assessment. Sudden breathlessness or chest pain with a swollen leg is an emergency: call 000. [1][3][4]
Multidisciplinary care and self-management
Persistent pain can affect more than one part of life. Physiotherapy, psychological support and medical care may be combined according to your needs. Psychological care addresses the effects of pain and ways of coping; it does not imply that pain is imagined. Discuss an activity plan you can sustain rather than alternating between doing too much and stopping completely. [5][2]
Preparing for your consultation
Bring a current medicine list, relevant scan reports and details of treatments you have tried. Describe what each treatment changed, any adverse effects and the activities you most want to regain. You may wish to bring a support person. Ask what the assessment can clarify, what remains uncertain and which decisions can reasonably wait.
Follow-up and questions to ask
Agree how progress will be judged: for example, walking tolerance, sleep, work participation or confidence with a daily task. Ask when to review the plan and what changes should prompt earlier contact. Discuss potential benefits, limitations, costs and alternatives before starting treatment. If a plan is not helping, review its purpose instead of assuming that more of the same treatment is always needed. [6]
Sources and further reading
Sources support the statements cited above. Overseas guidance may describe different services or eligibility rules. A procedure leaflet explains a technique and its risks; it does not establish that the treatment is effective for every condition.
- Knee pain — Healthdirect Australia
- Chronic pain — Healthdirect Australia
- Osteoarthritis in over 16s: recommendations — NICE
- Leg pain — Healthdirect Australia
- Options for chronic pain management — Healthdirect Australia
- Procedures in pain medicine clinical care standard — Faculty of Pain Medicine, ANZCA