https://wapo.st/3VOhjd2

Pain pills - prolonged use of NSAID (like Ibuprofen) eventually worsens the pain/disability, contributes to the progression of arthritis, and increases the likelihood of needing knee replacement surgeries later.

Cortisone shots - repeated use yields diminished returns on pain management, may also be toxic for cartilage, correlates to higher probabilities of knee replacements later, and if it leaks outside the joint can raise blood sugar levels.

Meniscus surgery - randomized placebo trials show no meaningful difference on pain management of knee function between those getting real meniscus surgeries and those getting sham ("placebo") surgeries after one year, but ten years after, those who got real meniscus surgeries show higher rate of new or worsening arthritis and more knee replacement surgeries.

Sit and rest - least effective and most detrimental; the more you sit or just lie around, the more you end up with arthritic knees.

Walk - the only winner identified in the article. "Those who walked for exercise, whether often or occasionally, were far less likely during the subsequent two years to develop new pain or worsening joint degeneration than non-walkers."