Liver, Gallbladder and Knee Pain: What Is the Connection?

Konovalova explained that knee pain is a common health problem, affecting approximately one in four people over the age of 55. One of its leading causes is osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition resulting from the gradual breakdown of joint cartilage.

She noted that damaged cartilage does not easily regain its original structure, while advanced cases may require surgical joint replacement to restore mobility, although a full recovery is not guaranteed.

According to Konovalova, traditional Chinese medicine associates liver and gallbladder health with the condition of ligaments, tendons and joints. Within this framework, impaired blood circulation through the liver is believed to affect the flexibility and movement of tissues surrounding the joints.

She also pointed to a proposed reflex connection between the hamstring muscles, located at the back of the thigh and knee, and gallbladder function. She suggested that gallbladder disorders, including inflammation, bile accumulation and gallstones, could affect muscle function and, consequently, knee mobility.

Recommendations for Joint Health

Konovalova offered several recommendations to support joint health, including going to bed early, preferably before 10:30 or 11 p.m. This advice is based on a traditional Chinese medicine belief that gallbladder activity peaks between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.

She also recommended massaging the hamstring muscles and the area below the knee for one to two minutes, gently tapping the outer sides of the thighs and legs, and massaging the temples, the area behind the ears and certain points on the feet, which are associated with the gallbladder in traditional Chinese medicine.

Other suggestions included gently massaging the gallbladder area before meals, while avoiding this practice in the presence of gallstones, as well as brisk walking or jogging to help relieve stress and emotional tension.

However, there is currently insufficient medical evidence to establish that impaired bile flow causes knee osteoarthritis or that massaging the suggested pressure points can repair damaged cartilage. Treatment of osteoarthritis should instead be based on proper medical assessment and scientifically established therapeutic approaches.