Three New Ways to Tackle Knee Arthritis Pain—Without Surgery

If you're among the 50% of Americans expected to develop knee osteoarthritis, new research offers three promising ways to manage your pain without going under the knife. Recent studies show that targeted weight loss medications, simple walking adjustments, and free online exercise programs can provide meaningful relief for the millions living with this condition.

Can Weight Loss Drugs Help Arthritis Pain?

Researchers at Harvard Medical School created a comprehensive model comparing five different weight loss approaches for people with both obesity and knee arthritis. The study found that tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), a type of medication called a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, provided more years of healthier life than traditional diet and exercise alone.

The research team evaluated each treatment's cost-effectiveness by weighing price against long-term quality of life improvements. For people with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher—roughly 245 pounds for someone 5'10"—gastric bypass surgery scored highest overall, producing the best results while costing less over a lifetime than ongoing medications.

• Tirzepatide: Rated as the best nonsurgical option, providing more health benefits than semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or diet and exercise alone
• Semaglutide: Still cost-effective for some patients, though less effective than tirzepatide overall
• Gastric bypass surgery: Most effective for people with BMI 35+, with high long-term weight loss efficacy
• Diet and exercise: Remains the cheapest treatment option, though less effective for significant weight loss

"Just telling people 'go lose weight' is not going to work," said Elena Losina, PhD, a biostatistician and professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School.

How Can Changing Your Walk Reduce Knee Pain?

Stanford and University of Utah researchers discovered that simple gait modifications can shift pressure away from the most vulnerable part of your knee. Arthritis typically begins in the medial compartment—the inner part of your knee closest to your other leg—which bears 70% of the compressive force when you walk.

In their experiment, participants learned to slightly adjust how their toes landed and pushed off during walking. Most people (82%) were trained to turn their toes inward by just 5 to 10 degrees, while others learned to turn them outward. After six weeks, all participants reported mild to moderate reductions in walking-related pain, with even greater improvements after maintaining the modified gait for a full year.

What Makes Free Online Tai Chi So Effective?

Physical therapist Kim Bennell, PhD, and her team at the University of Melbourne created a free online tai chi program specifically for adults with knee arthritis. After studying musculoskeletal injuries for three decades, Bennell recognized that traditional barriers—like transportation, mobility limitations, and cost—prevented many people from accessing effective exercise programs.

The 12-week program consisted of 45-minute tai chi videos, with participants instructed to complete three sessions per week. Results showed that 73% of participants experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in knee pain while walking, along with improvements in physical and mental well-being.

"The tai chi program seemed to give better results for pain, compared with the yoga program," Bennell said. Research shows tai chi can improve strength, mobility, balance, and endurance, which may lead to more controlled movement patterns with better joint stability.

This tai chi program is the third free online exercise option Bennell's team has developed, following a strength training program in 2021 and a yoga program in 2022. Together, these programs have attracted 60,000 users from 120 countries, with participants reporting high satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the programs to others.