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Knee Joint Diseases
Gonarthrosis
Knee joint arthrosis — cartilage degeneration with pain, swelling, and limited mobility. Most common cause of knee replacement.
Learn More About Treatment →Meniscus Tear
Tear of the medial or lateral meniscus. Pain, joint locking, clicking. Traditionally treated with arthroscopic resection.
Learn More About Treatment →Cruciate Ligament Injury
Tear of the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament. Joint instability, pain, swelling. Common sports injury.
Learn More About Treatment →Chondromalacia
Softening and destruction of patellar cartilage. Pain in the front of the knee during bending and climbing stairs.
Learn More About Treatment →Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Pain around and behind the kneecap when squatting, on stairs and after sitting for long. Exercise is the basis of treatment.
Learn More About Treatment →Osgood-Schlatter disease
Pain and a bump below the kneecap in sporty teenagers during growth. It usually settles when growth ends.
Learn More About Treatment →Knee Synovitis
Inflammation of the synovial membrane. Swelling, pain, limited mobility, fluid accumulation in the joint.
Learn More About Treatment →Leg Axis Deformity
Varus (bow-legged) or valgus (knock-kneed) deformity. Uneven cartilage load, accelerated arthrosis.
Learn More About Treatment →Leg Axis Deformity
Varus (bow-legged) or valgus (knock-kneed) deformity. Uneven cartilage load, accelerated arthrosis.
Learn More About Treatment →Leg Axis Deformity
Varus (bow-legged) or valgus (knock-kneed) deformity. Uneven cartilage load, accelerated arthrosis.
Learn More About Treatment →Other conditions
- Patellofemoral syndrome
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Baker cyst
- Patellar tendinitis
- Plica syndrome
- Femoral condyle necrosis
Send MRI images for free treatment feasibility assessment.
Knee: treatment options and what is known about them
The treatment plan is made by the clinic doctor after an examination and a review of your images. The table shows the options usually discussed for this diagnosis and how well they have been studied.
| Option | What to expect | How well studied |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise therapy and physiotherapy | Reduces pain, strengthens muscles, improves function; the basis of treatment | Well studied, recommended |
| Load management, weight loss | Takes load off the affected area; if overweight, losing 5–10% noticeably reduces pain | Well studied, recommended |
| Painkillers and NSAIDs | Ease pain during flare-ups; long-term use is limited by side effects | Moderate evidence |
| Corticosteroid injection | Quickly reduces inflammation and pain, the effect is often temporary; frequent injections are undesirable | Moderate evidence |
| Hyaluronic acid | Reduces pain for a few months in some patients | Limited or conflicting evidence |
| PRP / CGF | Concentrate from your own blood; may reduce pain, growth of new tissue has not been shown | Moderate evidence |
| BMAC / MFAT | Cell preparations from bone marrow or fat; more expensive, no proven advantage over PRP | Little data |
| Surgery — the type depends on the diagnosis | If conservative treatment does not help or there is an indication | When indicated — the doctor decides |
We send your request to several partner clinics. Some will suggest conservative treatment or injections, others surgery; each clinic quotes its own conditions and price. We help you compare the options.
Regenerative methods: realistic expectations
In osteoarthritis, regenerative injections can reduce pain and improve function for a period of several months to a year. PRP in knee osteoarthritis is the best studied: in a number of trials it reduced pain more than hyaluronic acid, but not in all of them. Restoration of damaged cartilage has not been shown. Cell-based methods (BMAC, MFAT) are less well studied and more expensive. Exercise and weight control remain the basis of treatment — injections add to them rather than replace them.
When surgery is discussed. Surgery is discussed when marked pain and restricted movement do not improve after 3–6 months of conservative treatment, and in advanced stages with deformity.
If an injection helps, the effect usually builds up over 6–12 weeks, and the result is assessed after 2–3 months. No clinic can guarantee a result.
Who it is not suitable for and possible risks
Contraindications
- Active infection — at the injection site or systemic, with fever.
- Active cancer or ongoing chemotherapy.
- Blood clotting disorders or a low platelet count. Anticoagulants are discussed with the physician.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — the procedure is usually postponed.
- A corticosteroid injection into the same area in recent weeks.
- Severe stage IV osteoarthritis with axial deformity and joint destruction — joint replacement is usually discussed instead.
Possible risks
- Pain and swelling at the injection site for 1–3 days.
- Bruising where blood or fat tissue is taken.
- Rarely, infection. The procedure is therefore performed under sterile conditions with ultrasound or X-ray guidance.
- The effect may be absent or smaller than expected.
If any of these apply to you, mention it in your request. The coordinator will check with the clinic physician whether treatment is possible. Contact a coordinator.
Scientific evidence
Studies of regenerative methods show mixed results. Clinic physicians rely on research including the following:
- Bannuru RR et al. OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 2019.
- Bennell KL et al. Effect of Intra-articular Platelet-Rich Plasma vs Placebo Injection on Pain and Medial Tibial Cartilage Volume in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: The RESTORE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 2021.
Next steps: Treatment methods · Treatment cost · How treatment in Germany is organised
Frequently Asked Questions About Knee Joint Treatment
RegenPAS is a patient service centre in Munich, not a clinic. We review your images and symptoms and send a request to several partner clinics at once. Clinics that can accept you send their own conditions and price; prices differ between clinics, and you choose the option that suits you. The coordinator replies within 24 hours, and a clinic physician’s preliminary opinion follows in 1–3 business days. We then arrange the appointment, visa invitation, interpreter, transfers and accommodation. Treatment decisions are made by the clinic physician. Contact a coordinator.
Your MRI (or CT, X-ray) report and the images if you have them, plus a short description of your symptoms and previous treatment. Send them via the form on the website — the assessment is free and without obligation: the coordinator replies within 24 hours, and the clinic physician’s preliminary opinion follows in 1–3 business days.
The cost depends on the method, the diagnostics needed and the clinic itself: prices differ between clinics. We request offers from several clinics and send you their conditions and quotes so you can compare. Price guidance is on the treatment cost page. For an outpatient procedure, 2–3 days in Munich are usually enough: examination, procedure and follow-up visit.
