Knee arthritis is one of the most common reasons people in Sydney’s north-west and the Southern Highlands seek orthopaedic care. If you’ve noticed your knee becoming stiff in the morning, aching after a walk, or grinding when you climb stairs, you may be dealing with knee osteoarthritis — and you’re far from alone.
This guide explains what knee arthritis actually is, what makes it worse, and the full range of treatment options available to you — from lifestyle measures through to regenerative therapies like PRP.
What Is Knee Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a degenerative joint condition in which the cartilage that cushions the ends of your thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) gradually breaks down. Cartilage has no blood supply of its own, which means it heals very slowly — and in many people, the breakdown outpaces any natural repair.
As cartilage thins, the bones begin to bear more of the load. This leads to inflammation, pain, swelling, and eventually changes in the shape of the joint itself. In advanced cases, bone-on-bone contact can cause significant disability.
Common Symptoms
- Pain during or after activity — particularly walking, climbing stairs, or rising from a chair
- Morning stiffness that eases after 15–30 minutes of movement
- Swelling and warmth around the joint, especially after exercise
- A grinding, clicking, or crunching sensation (crepitus) when bending the knee
- Reduced range of motion — difficulty fully straightening or bending the knee
- Instability or the feeling that the knee might give way
Symptoms often fluctuate — you may have good weeks and bad weeks, with flare-ups triggered by weather changes, overactivity, or prolonged sitting.
Who Gets Knee Arthritis?
While age is the biggest risk factor, knee OA is not simply a disease of old age. It is also driven by previous knee injuries (meniscal tears, ACL tears), obesity, repetitive occupational stress, family history, and malalignment of the knee joint. Recreational athletes who have played high-impact sports for decades are particularly susceptible.
Conventional Treatment Options
Most patients are first managed with a combination of lifestyle changes and conservative therapies. These include:
- Weight management — even a modest reduction in body weight significantly reduces the load through the knee joint
- Physiotherapy and exercise — strengthening the quadriceps and surrounding muscles provides better joint support and reduces pain
- Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) — ibuprofen and similar drugs reduce pain and swelling but do not slow disease progression, and carry risks with long-term use
- Cortisone injections — provide short-term relief for acute flare-ups, but repeated injections can accelerate cartilage breakdown over time
- Hyaluronic acid injections — aim to supplement the joint’s natural lubricating fluid; evidence for effectiveness is mixed
- Knee replacement surgery (TKA) — the end-stage option when conservative measures have failed, involving full or partial replacement of the joint
Where Conventional Treatments Can Fall Short
For many patients — particularly those in their 40s, 50s and 60s who are too young for a knee replacement but not responding well to conservative care — there is a frustrating gap. Cortisone injections stop working or cause side effects. NSAIDs carry cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks. Physiotherapy helps but doesn’t address the underlying biology of a deteriorating joint.
This is where regenerative medicine is changing the conversation.
PRP as a Regenerative Option for Knee Arthritis
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy uses a concentrated preparation of your own blood platelets — which are rich in growth factors — and injects them directly into the affected knee joint. The goal is to harness your body’s own healing biology to reduce inflammation, support the joint lining (synovium), and potentially slow cartilage breakdown.
A growing body of clinical research, including several randomised controlled trials, supports PRP as an effective option for mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. Studies have shown improvements in pain and function that last longer than cortisone injections, with a far more favourable safety profile since the treatment uses your own blood.
PRP is not a cure, and it works best in earlier stages of arthritis where there is still cartilage present. However, for patients who want to avoid or delay surgery — and who want a treatment that works with their body rather than masking symptoms — it represents a meaningful step forward.
Is PRP Right for Your Knee?
The best candidates for PRP knee injections are people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis who have not responded adequately to physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory treatments, and who are not yet at the stage of requiring a knee replacement. A thorough assessment — including imaging — is needed to determine suitability.
At Dr John PRP, we see patients from across Sydney’s north-west — including Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Norwest, Kellyville, Pennant Hills, and Rouse Hill — as well as patients travelling from the Southern Highlands including Bowral, Mittagong, and Moss Vale. If you’re struggling with knee pain and want to explore what regenerative medicine can do for you, we’d welcome the chance to have that conversation.
Book a consultation to discuss whether PRP is appropriate for your knee arthritis. A thorough assessment is always the first step.
For evidence-based information on knee osteoarthritis, visit Healthdirect Australia’s guide to osteoarthritis.
