Staying Active with Hip and Knee Pain
Adelaide makes it easy to want to move. The riverbanks, the foothills, beach paths, Park Lands, gardening, the footy community, or keeping up with our children and grandchildren builds movement into the lifestyle here.
When hip or knee pain starts to interfere with that, it can feel like more than a physical limitation. But hip or knee pain does not always mean you need to stop moving. Dr David Kitchen, local hip and knee specialist, tells us the right kind of movement is one of the best things you can do for joint health.
This guide is for Adelaideans and those who want to understand how to look after their joints, manage pain sensibly and stay active for as long as possible.
Movement is medicine
When a joint hurts, rest feels like the obvious answer.
A short period of rest can help after a flare-up, but avoiding movement for too long can actually worsen pain and stiffness over time by weakening the supporting muscles and reducing joint lubrication. The more these muscles lose strength, the more everyday movements start feeling harder.
Regular physical activity helps keep your joints flexible, muscles stronger and the body better prepared for daily life. It is not about pushing through pain or forcing yourself into exercise that aggravates your symptoms, but about finding the right type, amount and pace of movement for your joints.
What would this look like? It could be swimming twice a week, short walks on flat ground, cycling, gym-based strengthening or a modified return to golf, tennis or walking trails. It could be walking earlier in the day before stiffness builds, taking breaks and consistency.
What activities are easier on sore hips and knees?
Lower-impact activities are usually better tolerated because they keep you moving without repeated heavy loading through painful joints. Good options can include:
Water-based exercise can be especially useful because buoyancy reduces load through the hips and knees to allow a larger range of movement.
Cycling is a good option because it builds leg strength and cardiovascular fitness with less impact or joint stress than running.
If you enjoy the fresh air and walking, don’t stop. Walking is a great activity that most people with mild to moderate arthritis can continue.
You may need to make some adjustments though. Walk shorter distances, slow your pace, take routes with flatter ground, make sure you are wearing supportive footwear and plan recovery.
Pilates or Yoga with modified movements can help with maintaining flexibility, supporting your range of motion and joint lubrication. Modified refers to more guided, lower impact versions of these, including seated or supported poses that are tailored to your needs.
Strength training, using body weight, bands or light resistance, is one of the most useful tools for hip and knee arthritis. Stronger glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles can reduce the strain placed on sore joints during daily movement.
Gentle gym programs guided by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can provide personalised support, make sure exercises are performed safely, and help build strength and confidence in moving the body at a pace suited to your needs.
What activities should you avoid or take care with?
High-impact exercise places more force through the hips and knees. That does not mean these activities are automatically off-limits, but Dr Kitchen would recommend discussing these with your GP, physiotherapist or orthopaedic surgeon. This includes:
- Running
- Jumping
- Hard court sports like Netball, Basketball and Tennis
- Heavy hiking (strenuous, uphill or uneven terrain)
- Deep squats
- Loaded lunges (with weights)
- Twisting or pivoting activities
Ask yourself: “Does this activity help me stay active overall or does it leave me sore for days?” If running keeps triggering swelling, or a long hill walk leaves you limping for the rest of the week, it’s time to adjust, not keep pushing.
How to know if you are doing too much
A little discomfort or some joint pain during exercise is expected, does not always mean you are causing harm and pain should settle.
A reasonable guide is to watch how your joint responds during and after activity. You may need to scale back if:
- Pain becomes sharp, strong or changes your walking pattern
- Swelling increases after activity
- Symptoms take more than a day to settle
- You need more pain relief to get through normal tasks
- Night pain becomes more noticeable
- You start avoiding usual activities because of the flare-up afterwards
Your body is asking you to adjust the load. Sometimes that means shorter sessions, more rest between activities, better footwear, flatter routes, modified technique or adding strength work so the joint is better supported.
Does body weight affect joint health?
Weight is understandably a sensitive topic, but in joint health it is also one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for hip and knee arthritis progression.
The hips and knees are load-bearing joints. Extra body weight increases the force going through them during everyday activities like walking, stairs and standing from a chair.
Even modest weight loss can reduce stress on painful joints and improve symptoms, especially when combined with strengthening and regular movement. Research suggests that with each kilogram lost, it reduces several kilograms of force through the knee with each step.
Small changes can make a difference, such as:
- Walking more consistently
- Building strength around the hips and knees
- Choosing lower-impact activity during flare-ups
- Improving sleep and recovery
- Getting support with nutrition if weight loss is part of the plan
When pain is telling you something important
Hip or knee pain that settles after activity is different from pain that keeps escalating. It is worth speaking with your GP if pain is starting to limit daily life or if you notice:
- Pain that keeps returning despite rest and activity changes
- Swelling that does not settle
- Pain at night or pain at rest
- Increasing stiffness
- Trouble walking normal distances
- Difficulty with stairs, getting in and out of the car or standing from a chair
- A knee that catches, locks or gives way
- Hip pain that makes shoes, socks or sleep difficult
Your GP may arrange X-rays or other imaging and discuss options, including referral.
When to request a referral for an Orthopaedic Specialist
You do not need to be in crisis before asking for an opinion and not every person who sees an orthopaedic specialist needs surgery. A specialist consultation is to help you and your health team understand what is happening inside the joint, how advanced the arthritis or injury is and what your treatment options are.
Request a referral if hip or knee pain is affecting everyday movements and impacting your quality of life. This can include walking, sleep, work, stairs, sports, exercise, travel, independence and your confidence in being able to trust your body.
Dr Kitchen will review your symptoms, imaging, joint function and activity goals before discussing treatment options. If surgery is suitable, he will explain what it involves and how it fits your situation. If surgery is not the right step, he will discuss other ways to manage your symptoms such as physiotherapy, exercise changes, medication, strengthening, injections or monitoring with an estimated review timeline.
Dr David Kitchen, Orthopaedic Specialist
If hip or knee pain is preventing you from staying connected to the life you enjoy in Adelaide, request a referral to Dr David Kitchen, Orthopaedic Specialist, consulting at sportsmed Stepney, Henley Beach and at The Specialist Clinic in Port Pirie.
Have your referral? BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION
References
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. (2018). Guideline for the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Strong recommendations for the intervention. https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/knee-and-hip-osteoarthritis/summary-of-recommendations/strong-recommendations-for-the-intervention
*This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. All surgical procedures carry risks and results vary between individuals. Consult with Dr David Kitchen MBBS MA (Cantab) BA Hons PhD FRACS FAOrthA (MED0001951664), Orthopaedic Specialist, for a personalised treatment plan.