- A new data analysis suggests certain inexpensive treatments may be the most effective for knee osteoarthritis.
- Overall, knee braces seem to be the most helpful for patients.
- Doctors stress the importance of speaking to your healthcare provider to find the best treatment plan for you.
An estimated 14 million Americans deal with knee osteoarthritis, a condition that causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. And plenty of them struggle to find a treatment that actually makes them feel better.
Now, new research has a few suggestions—and the good news is, the most effective option it found may be one of the cheapest. Here’s what you need to know if you struggle with knee pain.
Meet the experts: Clint Soppe, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Los Angeles; Joseph J. Ciotola, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center
What the study found
In the meta-analysis, which was published in PLOS One, researchers analyzed data from 139 clinical trials on knee osteoarthritis therapies that involved nearly 10,000 people. They looked at 12 common therapies for the condition, including electric stimulation, knee braces, insoles, kinesiology tape, exercise, water-based therapy, and ultrasound. Using the data, the researchers ranked how effective each therapy was for treating symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
Overall, they found knee braces were the most effective therapy—they helped reduce pain and stiffness and improve joint function. Aquatic therapy, which involves doing exercises in warm water, was “particularly effective” for reducing pain, the researchers wrote. And beyond that, the researchers also found that doing regular exercise helped to improve pain and physical function.
Surprisingly, more advanced—and potentially expensive—treatments like high-intensity laser therapy and shock wave therapy only led to moderate improvements in patients. Ultrasound therapy was also consistently ranked as the least effective option.
“The findings suggest that knee brace may be the most recommended therapeutic option for the knee osteoarthritis, followed by hydrotherapy and exercise,” the researchers wrote in the meta-analysis.
Why are these low-cost treatments helpful?
Knee braces provide proprioceptive feedback to the brain, giving users a better sense of where their knee is in space, says Clint Soppe, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Los Angeles. This can help your surrounding muscles react more quickly to help stabilize it during movement.
And some types of braces known as unloader knee braces help the knee move in a way that can reduce the force on the area most impacted by arthritis, he says.
“Braces have been around a long time, and they often work well,” he says, adding that while many of his patients love their knee braces, some of them do find them uncomfortable.
Joseph J. Ciotola, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center, says that compression sleeves for the knee are often the most effective thing people can use when they have knee osteoarthritis. “They keep the knee warm and the compression also helps with swelling and pain,” he says.
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Physical exercise is also crucial, according to doctors. “The most effective thing is building up the quad strength,” Dr. Citola says. This can help take some of the stress off the knee during movement.
Dr. Soppe also notes that motion is great for joints in general. “It helps transition synovial fluid—liquid that reduces friction in the joints—into the healthy remaining cartilage,” he says.
As for some of the newer, higher-tech therapies the study mentioned? Lots of them just don’t have data to back them up right now, says Dr. Soppe.
What exercises are best for knee osteoarthritis?
This particular study didn’t highlight a specific form of exercise as being the most effective, but it did cite things like aquatic exercise and swimming, stationary biking, resistance training, and yoga, as good options for exercise.
A scientific analysis of more than 200 studies published in The BMJ in 2025 also highlighted the importance of exercise in reducing symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. That study determined that aerobic exercise like cycling, swimming, and walking were the most effective, leading to less pain, better knee function, and better quality of life after 12 weeks compared to people who didn’t exercise. The study found that yoga, tai chi, and strength training were helpful, too.
Dr. Citola often recommends that his patients with knee osteoarthritis exercise on a recumbent bike and increase the resistance to challenge themselves. “It allows them to pedal without stressing the joint,” he says. Dr. Soppe is also a fan of low-impact exercises for these patients. “Exercises that are non-impact-loading are great for the knee,” he says.
How does medication fit in?
Medication therapy can be helpful for some patients with knee osteoarthritis, but not everyone needs it. “Typically we start with anti-inflammatory medicines,” like ibuprofen, Dr. Citola says.
These shouldn’t be taken on a daily basis, though. “If you have a bad day, simple anti-inflammatories can help dramatically,” Dr. Soppe says.
Injection treatments like hyaluronic acid and platelet-rich plasma, also can be helpful, Dr. Sopper says. “They have no major side effects,” he adds.
How to find the best knee osteoarthritis treatment for you
The best treatment plan starts with a conversation with your doctor. “Start with simple things first and see if they work,” Dr. Soppe says.
That can mean adjusting your exercise routine, using a knee brace, and taking OTC anti-inflammatory medications as needed, and then ramping things up from there if they don’t work. “Many patients can be managed with these non-operative treatments,” Dr. Soppe says.
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