Recovery plan

Knee Osteoarthritis

Learn what knee osteoarthritis is, why scan changes do not match pain, and why education and exercise — not rest — are the core treatment.

Read the full injury guide Knee recovery

A usable progression

Move forward when the current stage is tolerable.

This is a general education framework, not a personal prescription. The injury, treatment, symptoms, and demands of your activity can all change the pace.

Settle

Goal: Protect the area and reduce the most provocative load.
Do: Use comfortable daily movement where appropriate and follow any protection or restrictions from your clinician.
Avoid: Avoid repeatedly testing sharp pain, forcing range, or returning to demanding activity because symptoms briefly improve.
Progress when: Daily tasks are becoming easier and symptoms are not escalating after ordinary activity.

Restore

Goal: Rebuild comfortable movement and basic function.
Do: Work through the exercises and mobility guidance linked below, starting with a tolerable range and dose.
Avoid: Avoid adding several new exercises, heavier loads, or longer sessions at the same time.
Progress when: Movement is more comfortable, swelling or irritability is settling, and basic use is improving.

Strengthen

Goal: Build capacity for the loads your work, training, or sport requires.
Do: Progress resistance, repetitions, range, or time gradually—one meaningful change at a time.
Avoid: Avoid using pain-free rest alone as proof that the tissue is ready for full demand.
Progress when: The area tolerates progressively harder sessions without a marked next-day flare.

Return

Goal: Reintroduce the specific activity with control and confidence.
Do: Start with a reduced version of the task, then build duration, load, speed, and complexity separately.
Avoid: Avoid jumping from rehabilitation exercises straight to full training, competition, or heavy work.
Progress when: You can repeat the demands of your activity with stable symptoms, useful strength, and no loss of function.

Take-Home Guide

Printable

Download & print

Knee Osteoarthritis: Home Exercise Program

A printable home exercise program for knee osteoarthritis — quadriceps, calf and balance work that reduces pain and builds capacity around the knee.

Read guide →

Rehabilitation Guides

Rehabilitation · IA-KNE-REH-001

General Knee Loading Principles

Learn how to adjust knee range, load and exercise volume, judge your symptom response, and know when knee pain needs an assessment.

Read guide →Rehabilitation · IA-KNE-REH-007

Knee Replacement Rehabilitation Guide

A phase-by-phase knee replacement rehabilitation guide — from the first days of ankle pumps and extension to walking, stairs and strength. Includes precautions and when to see someone.

Read guide →

Exercises

Exercises · IA-KNE-EXE-001

Sit-to-Stand

Learn how to use chair height, control and gradual progression to make the sit-to-stand a practical knee-strengthening exercise.

Read guide →Exercises · IA-KNE-EXE-004

Calf Raise

Learn the calf raise — a simple lower-leg strengthening exercise that supports walking, running and knee health, with progressions and safety notes.

Read guide →Exercises · IA-KNE-EXE-008

Heel Slide

Learn the supine heel slide for gentle, controlled knee bending and straightening.

Read guide →Exercises · IA-KNE-EXE-009

Standing Hamstring Curl

Learn a supported standing hamstring curl for controlled knee-flexion strengthening.

Read guide →Exercises · IA-KNE-EXE-007

Terminal Knee Extension

Learn the terminal knee extension — a simple quadriceps exercise that improves the last part of knee straightening, with progressions and safety notes.

Read guide →

Mobility & Stretching

Stretches · IA-KNE-STR-002

Calf Stretch

Learn the standing calf stretch for the gastrocnemius and soleus, with straight- and bent-knee versions, hold times and safety notes.

Read guide →

Recovery guidance needs context.

These resources provide general education, not a diagnosis or personalised treatment plan. A recent major injury, deformity, substantial weakness, worsening neurological symptoms or inability to use the affected area should be assessed.