Arthritis can cause persistent pain, stiffness, swelling and difficulty with walking, work, sleep or everyday activity. Care begins with identifying the joint involved, the type and extent of arthritis, and how significantly symptoms affect the patient’s mobility and quality of life.
Lifestyle measures are the foundation of arthritis care at every stage. A structured exercise and physiotherapy programme helps strengthen the muscles that support the joint, maintain flexibility and improve balance and walking. Low-impact activities such as walking, cycling, swimming and guided strengthening are usually better tolerated than high-impact loading.
Medicines may be used to control pain and stiffness so that patients can stay active and take part in rehabilitation. Options can include simple pain relievers, topical anti-inflammatory gels or creams, and joint supplements for selected patients.
Injection treatments may be considered for selected patients with mild to moderate arthritis when exercise and medicines have not given enough relief. Options include hyaluronic acid injections, which aim to improve lubrication of the joint, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which uses a concentrate prepared from the patient’s own blood. Autologous Cytokine-Rich Serum (ACRS) – Sanakin injection may be used for relief. Corticosteroid injections may also be used for short-term relief during painful flare-ups.
In carefully selected patients, particularly younger and active individuals, surgery may be used to protect the patient’s own joint and delay or avoid the need for replacement. In the knee, osteotomy around the knee reshapes and realigns the bone, most often the upper part of the shin bone or the lower part of the thigh bone, to shift load away from the worn area of the joint. In the hip, femoral head-preserving surgeries are done for selected cases of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head.
When joint damage is advanced and other treatments no longer provide adequate relief, replacement surgery may be recommended. Partial knee replacement resurfaces only the damaged compartment of the knee and is suitable when arthritis is limited to one area. Total knee replacement and total hip replacement resurface or replace the whole joint when damage is more widespread.
Rehabilitation is central to recovery after joint replacement. Physiotherapy supports movement, muscle strength, walking and a gradual return to daily activities. Progress differs between individuals, so exercise, activity and follow-up are adjusted according to healing, the procedure performed and each patient’s functional goals.
We coordinate arthritis assessment, surgical planning when required, physiotherapy and follow-up around one clear care pathway. The focus is on appropriate treatment selection, informed decision-making and helping patients work toward reduced pain, improved movement and dependable long-term joint function.
Book an Orthopaedic Consultation