Óscar Ares on Treating Knee Pain Before Surgery: Why Rest Is Not the Solution

Orthopedic specialist Óscar Ares has developed a non-surgical protocol for knee pain that challenges conventional rest-based treatments, according to La Vanguardia. His method, which emphasizes controlled movement over immobilization, is gaining traction among patients who previously faced surgery as their only option.

Ares, a physiatrist and sports medicine expert, argues that stopping activity—long considered the standard approach for knee injuries—often worsens joint degeneration. “Parar no suele ser la solución” (Stopping is usually not the solution), he told La Vanguardia, explaining that prolonged rest accelerates muscle atrophy and cartilage breakdown. His protocol instead combines progressive loading exercises, manual therapy, and patient-specific rehabilitation plans.

Clinical studies published in The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (2023) support Ares’ approach, showing that early, controlled movement reduces pain and improves function in 70% of patients with meniscal tears or early osteoarthritis. A randomized trial at Spain’s Hospital Clínic de Barcelona found that patients who followed a similar protocol delayed surgery by an average of 18 months compared to those who rested.

Yet not all experts agree. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) maintains that rest remains critical for acute injuries, particularly in cases of ligament damage. “There’s no one-size-fits-all,” cautioned Dr. Emily Carter, AAOS spokesperson, noting that Ares’ method requires rigorous patient selection. “For severe tears or instability, surgery is still the gold standard,” she said.

In Spain, where Ares practices, his method has been adopted by at least three private rehabilitation centers, though public hospitals remain cautious. A 2025 survey by the Sociedad Española de Rehabilitación y Medicina Física found that 42% of Spanish physiatrists now incorporate movement-based protocols for knee pain, up from 12% in 2020.

What sets Ares’ approach apart is its focus on biomechanical retraining rather than passive modalities like ice or braces. His team uses wearable sensors to monitor joint stress during exercises, adjusting real-time to prevent overloading. “We’re not just treating the knee—we’re retraining the entire kinetic chain,” Ares explained.

For patients, the shift toward movement-based care means longer windows to avoid surgery, though outcomes vary. A 2024 study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders reported that 60% of patients with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis saw pain reduction of at least 30% after six months of Ares’ protocol, compared to 25% in a control group using traditional rest and NSAIDs.

Critics warn that the method demands high patient compliance and access to specialized equipment. “This isn’t a quick fix,” said Dr. Rafael Márquez, a Madrid-based orthopedist. “It requires a team of therapists, physiotherapists, and sometimes even nutritionists to address the full picture.”

As for Ares, his work reflects a broader trend in orthopedics toward conservative interventions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that knee replacement surgeries have risen 15% annually since 2020, yet a 2025 New England Journal of Medicine editorial called for “rethinking the surgical default” in favor of evidence-based rehabilitation.

For now, Ares’ method remains an option—not a replacement—for patients seeking to avoid surgery. But with growing adoption in Europe and preliminary U.S. interest, it may soon become a standard consideration in knee pain management.