New knee aches and pains
What you should know
It's quite common to develop new aches or pains from time to time, especially in the muscles, joints, or soft tissues of the body. These structures are part of what we call the musculoskeletal (MSK) system, and in most cases, discomfort in these areas settles down on its own with simple self-care.
Why do these pains happen?
Anyone can develop musculoskeletal pain - it can affect people of all ages, fitness levels, and lifestyles. As we age, natural changes occur in our tendons, joints, and soft tissues. These changes can increase our susceptibility to aches and pains.
Musculoskeletal pain often occurs without a clear injury. If you haven't had a fall or trauma, and you're otherwise feeling well, it's likely due to a minor strain or overuse.
Common triggers
Think about your recent activity:
- Have you taken on a new hobby or DIY task?
- Been gardening, walking, or on your feet more than usual?
- Lifted or moved something awkwardly?
- Have you been more sedentary than normal?
Even small changes in your routine can increase the physical load on your body. This can cause tissues to become irritated or inflamed-a common and normal response that's usually short-lived.
What you can do
Most of the time, symptoms settle with time, gentle movement, and some adjustments to your activity levels. Try to:
- Keep gently active - complete rest can make things worse
- Modify activities that aggravate symptoms - don't push through sharp or worsening pain
- Try simple, gentle exercises to support recovery
- Pace yourself and gradually build back up to your normal routine.
Some discomfort with movement or exercise is normal and usually not a cause for concern-as long as it isn't getting progressively worse and is steadily improving.
Recovery can take a few weeks, and it's not unusual for it to take up to six weeks for symptoms to fully resolve.
Simple exercises
We've included the link below to some gentle, joint-specific exercises that may help support your recovery. These can be useful for improving mobility, reducing stiffness, and supporting healing and strength rebuilding.
When to seek further advice
In most cases, self-management is appropriate. However, it's best to get in touch with a healthcare professional if any of these apply:
- Your pain started after a significant fall or injury
- You have severe night pain that doesn't ease with position changes or simple pain relief
- You have neurological symptoms like numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness
- You're feeling generally unwell alongside your pain - for example, if you have a fever, unexplained fatigue, or weight loss
- Your symptoms are not improving after a few weeks of self-care.
For office use only: Version 1 PFD_TS106 Publication date: August 2025