Knee arthritis is a breakdown of the cartilage that cushions your knee joint. When the cartilage wears down, your bones rub against each other. This causes pain and stiffness. Knee arthritis tends to get worse with time.

Treatment for knee arthritis involves reducing pain, making the leg muscles stronger, and staying at a healthy body weight. The treatment usually does not improve the health of the cartilage, but it can reduce pain and improve how well your knee works.

You can take simple measures to protect your knee joints, ease your pain, and help you stay active.