THE RED DOOR CLINIC · MELLIEĦA
Osteoarthritis
Wear that will not reverse. A joint that can still get stronger, calmer and more usable.
Osteoarthritis is wear and change in a joint, most often the knee, hip, spine or hands. Physiotherapy will not reverse that wear. Strength, movement and pacing often make the joint more usable anyway. At The Red Door Clinic in Mellieħa, the programme is built from what the joint tolerates now. Medication, if you use it, is a decision for you and your doctor or pharmacist.
Reviewed by Andrew George, Lead Physiotherapist · 5 October 2026
What osteoarthritis is
It is common with age, after injury, and in joints that have been heavily loaded. Scans often show changes in people who have little pain, so the picture on a scan is not the whole story.
What we can honestly do: build the muscles around the joint, keep the range you still have, and help you pace activity so a good day does not become a three-day flare. What we cannot do: remove the wear.
When to seek urgent care instead
Most muscle and joint pain is not an emergency. Go to accident and emergency, or call emergency services, if you have a suspected broken bone, a joint that looks deformed, pain after a significant fall, chest pain, trouble breathing, a head injury with confusion or vomiting, numbness in the saddle area, or loss of bladder or bowel control. A limb that is cold, pale or blue, or sudden severe swelling, also needs urgent medical care rather than a clinic appointment.
Pain in the shoulder or arm that arrives with chest pressure, breathlessness, sweating, nausea or feeling faint can be a heart symptom. Call emergency services. Do not wait for physiotherapy.
If you are unsure, use emergency services first. For everything else, contact the clinic and describe what happened. We do not diagnose by message.
How the clinic can help
A consultation and assessment with Andrew George, our lead physiotherapist, is €55, and follow-up physiotherapy is €45. The assessment looks at the movement that hurts and the story around it. You leave with a plain-language explanation and a plan that fits the week you actually have.
Where massage helps alongside physiotherapy, the clinic houses qualified massage therapists in the same building. Massage does not replace an assessment when pain, injury or a change in movement is the concern.
Book through the contact form, by phone on 2152 4199, or by WhatsApp on 7924 1880. Describe your symptoms and the team will help you choose the right first appointment.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP
Not sure where to start? Start with us.
Tell us what hurts, what has changed, or what you want to get back to.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Related conditions and next steps
A LITTLE CLARITY
Frequently asked questions
Is exercise safe with osteoarthritis?
The right dose is part of treatment. The programme starts from what you can do this week and progresses from there. Stopping altogether usually makes the joint less capable.
LET’S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
Tell us what hurts, what has changed, or what you want to get back to.