Evidence-Based Osteoarthritis Relief
Move More.
Fear Pain Less.
Rethink OA is a clinically tested program that helps people with knee osteoarthritis understand their pain and get back to the activities they love — in about two hours, at your own pace.
Explore the ProgramNot sure where to start?
Take the 2-Minute QuizIn our clinical trial, 2 in 3 participants moved more within a month.
If knee pain is deciding what you do, this is for you
You still want the hikes, the garden, the grandkids on the floor, the trip you keep postponing. But somewhere along the way, your knees started making the decisions. Rethink OA exists for exactly this moment — not to push you through pain, but to help you understand it, so you can trust your body again.
Sound familiar?
See how the program worksThe Rethink Method
Most advice starts with your joints. We start with your understanding.
Rethink OA works in three steps — each one tested in our randomized controlled trial.
Understand your pain
Learn what osteoarthritis actually is — and why hurt doesn’t always equal harm. When pain stops being a mystery, it stops being in charge.
Move to improve
See how the right kind of movement strengthens joints rather than wearing them out — and learn to tell what’s safe for you.
Rethink what’s possible
Build the mindsets that keep you going. In our trial, this was the difference that reduced fear and got people moving — and it keeps working long after the two hours are over.
The Science Behind the Program
Tested the way OA care should be — in a randomized controlled trial
We tested Rethink OA against an education program and against no program at all, in 408 adults with knee osteoarthritis — and published the results in a peer-reviewed Nature Portfolio journal. One month later:
166% of Rethink OA participants increased physical activity (PASE); average gain +39 points (≈ +25%), significantly greater than no program (P = 0.001). 2Of participants with elevated fear of movement at baseline, 55% dropped below the elevated threshold at one month vs. 19% with no program. 344% reported less perceived need for surgery vs. 22% with no program; measures attitudes, not surgery rates. All outcomes self-reported at one-month follow-up. Boswell MA, et al. npj Digital Medicine 7, 285 (2024).
Read the published study
Meet the Researcher
Rethink OA didn’t start as a product. It started as a research question.
Melissa Boswell, PhD — Founder & CEO, Rethink Health
At Stanford University, Melissa and a team spanning bioengineering, psychology, and orthopedic surgery asked: what if how people think about osteoarthritis changes what it does to their lives? She led the development of Rethink OA and is first author of the randomized controlled trial that tested it, published in npj Digital Medicine, a Nature Portfolio journal.
Today she is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where her research focuses on scalable digital health and behavioral interventions — including how to bring programs like this one to the people who need them.
Meet the whole team — including the Stanford researchers behind the program →
From People Who’ve Been Where You Are
“You think to yourself, ‘Oh man, this is just going to get worse’ — and I was doing that to myself. Once I did Rethink OA, I got my mindset right. Now it’s: no — I’m still pretty good. I can still do this.”
“I thought surgery was my only option. Now, I am empowered to improve my situation.”
Study participant“I realize that exercise will not further damage my joints, and by changing my mindset, I can exercise more and improve my strength.”
Study participant“In six months I’ll drop you a line and say: guess what — no surgery, and I’m hiking up and down those hills.”
Rethink OA memberFree Resources
Not ready for the program? Start here — free.
Evidence-based tools for the questions people with knee osteoarthritis ask most, from the researchers behind Rethink OA.
Not sure where to start? Find out in 2 minutes.
Answer 8 quick questions about pain, movement, and confidence — and get a personalized snapshot of where your biggest opportunity is, plus the first step that could make the most difference for you.
Take the free quiz“Is It Safe to Move?” — the question everyone with knee OA asks
Get our free, evidence-based guide to understanding what your pain means, which signals matter, and how to take your first confident steps back to activity.
Get the free guide
Not ready yet? Stay in the loop
Get evidence-based tips on pain, movement, and mindset for knee osteoarthritis — straight from the researchers.
Two hours from now, osteoarthritis could look different
Understand your pain. Stop guessing what’s safe. Start moving with confidence again.
Explore the Program