Reviewed by medical experts • For informational purposes only
Knee pain diet: weight control, balanced meals, bone nutrients, gout food limits and caution with supplements.
Food does not cure knee pain, but your weight and nutrition affect your knees.
Weight control
Every extra kilogram adds several kilograms of load on the knee when walking. Losing weight is one of the most effective ways to ease knee osteoarthritis. A gradual plan with balanced meals works better than crash diets.
Balanced meals
Bone and joint nutrients
For gout
Limit alcohol, especially beer, sugary drinks, red meat, organ meat and some seafood. Drink plenty of water. Diet alone rarely controls gout, so follow medical treatment.
For inflammatory arthritis
A balanced, Mediterranean-style diet supports general health. No diet replaces medicines.
Supplements
Glucosamine, chondroitin, turmeric and omega-3 have mixed evidence and may interact with blood thinners and other medicines. Ask your doctor first, especially in pregnancy and with liver or kidney disease.
Avoid
Ayurvedic dietary advice
Ayurveda suggests warm, fresh, lightly spiced food with ginger and turmeric in cooking, and less cold, dry, heavy and fermented food. Evidence is limited, so treat it as comfort advice.
Key point
A healthy weight and balanced diet help the knees more than any single food.
Before your appointment
Note when the knee pain began, where it hurts, and whether there was a fall or twist. Describe swelling, stiffness, locking, giving way, clicking and what makes it better or worse. List all medicines, painkillers, supplements and herbal products. Mention fever, other joint pain, gout and past knee problems. Bring earlier X-rays or reports and your usual shoes. Ask about tests, exercise, safe pain relief and when surgery is considered. Seek urgent care for a hot swollen knee with fever or inability to bear weight, or call 112 for severe symptoms.
Written By
Dr. Daksh
BDS
Reviewed By
Dr. Varun Gupta
MD Pharmacology, MBBS
Last updated on
27 Sep 2022 • 06:23 PM (IST)
Read Our Editorial Policy
Want to know more?
Have issue with the content?
Report Problem
Explore more articles about this topic
Yoga and exercise for knee pain: thigh strengthening, low-impact activity, gentle poses and what to avoid.
Knee pain medicines: paracetamol, NSAID cautions, injections, gout and arthritis treatments and braces.
How knee pain is treated: exercise, weight loss, pain relief, treating the cause, injections and surgery.
Knee pain home care: early rest, ice, compression, gentle movement, weight control and what to avoid.
Causes of knee pain: osteoarthritis, ligament and meniscus injury, overuse, gout, inflammatory arthritis and infection.
How knee pain is diagnosed: history, examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, blood tests and joint fluid tests.
