How do I manage knee arthritis while fasting in Ramadan and standing for taraweeh?

Why knees often flare in Ramadan

Routines change. Long taraweeh and qiyam prayers mean extended standing and many more rises from sujood, often in the late evening when the knee is already tired. Sleep is shorter, exercise tends to stop, and large iftar and suhoor meals can add weight over the month. Mild dehydration and missed painkiller doses may also make the knee feel worse.

Medicines and timing

• Paracetamol can usually be taken at suhoor and after iftar; ask your doctor or pharmacist about the right schedule for you
• Anti-inflammatory tablets should be taken with food, so after iftar or with suhoor, and they are not suitable for people with stomach, kidney or heart problems
• Anti-inflammatory gels applied to the skin are an option many patients use; whether they affect the fast is a question to ask a scholar
• Drink enough water between iftar and suhoor, especially if you take anti-inflammatories

Prayer and activity

If standing through taraweeh is painful, many people pray part of it on a chair, and many mosques in Qatar provide chairs. Some people stand for the first rakaat and sit for the rest. Choosing a spot near a wall or pillar helps with rising.

Try to keep some movement: a 20 to 30 minute walk after iftar, once the meal has settled, or a short strengthening routine before suhoor. In the cooler evenings, walking outside is often pleasant; otherwise malls stay open late during Ramadan.

Planning treatment around Ramadan

If you are considering a steroid injection or surgery, timing can be planned so that recovery, medication and physiotherapy do not clash with fasting. A flare that is well controlled before Ramadan is easier to manage during it.

Seek medical advice promptly if the knee becomes hot, red and very swollen, or if pain prevents you from walking. Your health comes first, and an illness that requires treatment is a recognised reason not to fast. At Aman Hospital, Dr. Gelber can review your knee and plan treatment around the month.