What are the alternatives to Total KNEE Replacement? Arthiric knee has four grades. In earlier grades non-surgical modalities are tried : You may benefit from some gentle exercise such as walking, massage swimming, bicycle or other forms of physical therapy Weight loss can be very helpful in reducing pain from arthritic knees by reducing the stress Intraarticular cortisone injection Knee cap/braces Anti-inflammatory medications and pain medications that can help you live with arthritis. Corticosteroids, injected directly into the knee may give pain relief A cane or a crutch may be required in order to walk Some of the surgical options available are: Ostetotomy: By surgically changing the alignment of the leg, the axis of weight is shifted to the other compartment, thus slowing down the disease progression Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: When the arthritic process is in the early stages and has involved only one of the three compartments in the knee, replacing only that compartment by this minimally invasive technique will address the goals of pain relief, quick clinical recovery and early return to daily activities Unfortunately in spite of all these measures, the arthritis is progressive in most cases. In case of grade 4 arthritis, bone rubs against bone giving rise to severe pain, in which case, surgical management is the only option.