i'm answering this as simply a patient with osteoarthritis of the knees at age 46. my activity level is i did play racquetball 2-3x/week but have eliminated that due to severe pain in knees. i now keep active officiating soccer throughout most of the year including high school level soccer. playing linesman takes its toll on your knees. my experience with co-steroid injections initially was very positive. it reduced inflammation almost instantly and relieved pain for again initially upwards to 3 months. however my last injections only lasted about 3 weeks. my doctor has now introduced me to euflexxa which are injections of a hyaluronic acid that acts as a 'cushion' in the joints of the knee (notice i'm not a doctor). i can say i'm on treatment 2 of 3 required shots and have noticed an incredible sense of pain relief. the test will truly come when i expose my knees to physical activity like i normally do and see how long these shots last. no side effects experienced as well.
what are the expected benefits of steroid injections?