Managing Knee OA with Physio Clare Pettigrew

Enovis is proud to work closely with clinicians across the UK to offer our range of braces and supports to their patients. Our Brands DonJoy and Aircast are globally recognised for their clinical effectiveness, ease of use, and compliance with patients across a wide range of indications.

Our dedicated network of Brace Fitting Centres are trained in the prescription, fitting, and after-care of our selection of Knee Braces, offering a unique clinical service to their patients. This new blog shares real world insights of how bracing can positively impact the lives of patients, giving clinicians new ideas in how to manage specific conditions.

In this blog we chat to Scotland based Physiotherapist Clare Pettigrew, who is vastly experienced in managing patients with Knee Osteoarthritis through her bespoke coaching programme, ‘The Knee Mentor’. Read more for insights into how Clare uses bracing as a powerful tool to help her patients get back to active living.

Can you describe your Knee programme in a few sentences? What makes it unique?

My programme is a structured, 12-week online coaching system designed to help active adults with knee osteoarthritis reduce pain, build confidence and get back to doing the things they love – without relying on injections or surgery. 

What makes it unique is that we don’t just hand out generic exercises, we coach people. We give them the structure, education and tools to actually stick with it and see results. 

Bracing, movement and strength are just the beginning, the real magic is in the support and strategy.

What population of patients is the programme designed for?

It’s for motivated, active people who still have things they want to do – whether that’s walking their dog, travelling, skiing, golfing, working, hiking or just getting up and down stairs without pain and fear.

Our youngest client so far was 38, most are 50-80+, with mild, moderate or severe OA. 

What they all have in common is that they’re not ready to give up – and they want to avoid or put off (more) injections or surgery.

How long does the programme last and what does a typical session include?

The core programme runs for 12 weeks, but it’s less about ticking off weeks and more about moving through key phases: 

1. We aim to settle the joint down and reduce irritability. 
2. Start unravelling some of the compensations and fear-based movement patterns that have crept in. 
3. Build new, stronger foundations, not just in the muscles, but in confidence and consistency.

Rather than focusing on one-off sessions, we focus on repeating the simple things that work and doing them well. Group support plays a huge role, people feel seen, supported and accountable. That consistency, paired with expert guidance and smart pacing, is what creates real change.

What are the most common challenges patients with knee OA face?
I would say fear of movement is a big one.  They’ve been told to “be careful” for so long that they don’t know what’s safe anymore. Add in swelling, weakness and mixed messages from GPs and Google/FB and people end up stuck in a cycle of doing less and feeling worse.

How do you tailor treatment to individual patients?

We don’t use one-size-fits-all protocols. Instead, we start with a deep understanding of their goals, patterns, pain triggers and habits. We use a structured system to help them pace and progress safely and we adjust the plan based on how their knee responds.

What role do strength, mobility and education play in OA management?

They’re the pillars. 

Strength gives the joint support, mobility helps nourish the joint and education gives people the confidence to use both. 

When patients understand WHY we’re doing something (not just WHAT), they’re far more likely to stick with it and see real progress

What improvements do patients typically notice after completing the programme?

On average, our clients see a 60% reduction in pain and a 60% improvement in their function by the end of the 12 weeks! That means they’re walking further, climbing and coming downstairs more easily and moving with more confidence – often doing things they thought were off the table for good.

One of the most powerful shifts is that most who start the programme on daily painkillers no longer need them. They understand their knees, they know how to manage setbacks and they’re no longer living in fear of making things worse.

How do you measure success?
We absolutely track the numbers – pain on the visual analogue scale, function using the 30-second sit-to-stand test and weekly check-ins. But the most important measure of success is whether people are moving closer to their “why” – what is it that matters to them? 

At the start, many people play it safe with their goals – they just want to walk without pain or get through the day. But as the programme goes on and they see what others are doing, their mindset shifts. The group inspires them to think bigger. Suddenly they’re aiming to hike again, cycle, dance at a wedding, do a sprint triathlon!

That change in belief, in confidence and in what’s possible, that’s the real measure of success.

How does bracing, physical therapy, or lifestyle changes factor into long-term management?

They’re all tools.  But tools don’t work unless you use them consistently and in the right context. 

A brace can reduce pain, change movement patterns and buy you time, but it’s what you DO while wearing it that makes the real difference. Physio only works if it’s part of a bigger, lived plan, not if its just a set of exercises on a sheet. Lifestyle changes (things like walking regularly, getting decent sleep and supporting your body with the right nutrition) are the foundation not just for joint health, but for staying active long term.

The key is this: if you don’t build the right habits, or if you stop too soon, you won’t see lasting change. That’s why we focus so much on coaching, support and repeating the basics – because short bursts don’t fix long-term problems. Consistency does.

How does bracing make a difference to these patients?
A good offloader brace can be game-changing.  It can reduce pain enough to let someone move, train, and rewire their habits. But it’s not magic on its own. It’s a launchpad. We pair it with strategy, education, and action, that’s when you get real, lasting change. The DonJoy OA Nano Knee Brace offers a great combination of stability and offloading, in a very lightweight brace that patients cope very well with.

Summary

Clare offers patients suffering from Knee Osteoarthritis a structured programme that delivers excellent results. The combination of expert guidance and coaching, with tools including exercise prescription and bracing, give patients the opportunity to get back to the activities they love.

Find more information by visiting Clare’s website: Physio Ecosse – Physiotherapy West Lothian

To bring DonJoy bracing into your clinic, contact ukmarketing@enovis.com or visit our online store www.motioncare360.com