Background Joint replacement surgery is a highly effective treatment option for patients with severe osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and knee when other treatments have failed. Unfortunately, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary suspension of non-urgent elective surgery was implemented. Thousands of patients currently awaiting hip and knee replacements have been affected. Many of these patients will present to their general practitioners for symptom management during this interim period. Objective The purpose of this article is to summarise current recommendations for the non-operative management of patients with symptomatic OA. Discussion Non-operative treatment modalities for OA include education, lifestyle modification and exercise, mass reduction, physiotherapy, orthoses, psychology, pharmaceuticals and injections. Multimodal therapy is required for patients with severe symptoms. A number of useful online resources are presented, as access to public allied health services may be limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic. OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) of the hip and knee are common orthopaedic conditions, frequently causing pain and disability. The incidence of OA is steadily increasing. 1 Joint replacement surgery has revolutionised the management of OA but should be reserved for patients who have not responded to non-operative therapies. Joint replacement is very cost-effective and provides long-term improvements in pain, mobility and quality of life for most patients. 2,3 In Australia, more than 105,000 primary and revision hip and knee replacements were performed in 2018, and approximately 35% of these operations were performed in the public sector. 4,5 The projected burden of primary total hip and knee replacement in Australia is expected to increase by 208% and 276%, respectively, by the year 2030. 6 Unfortunately, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a nationwide, temporary suspension of non-urgent elective surgery was implemented. Thousands of patients waiting for joint replacement surgery have been affected. Although the restrictions are being eased, patients may still experience delays as health services manage their waiting lists. Many affected patients will present to their general practitioners for symptom management in the interim period. The purpose of this article is to discuss non-operative management options for patients with severe OA. Although prompted by recent elective surgery suspensions, the principles presented are equally applicable to patients who are unfit for surgery, or patients using the public system who may wait 365 days for their joint replacement, according to National Categorisation Guidelines. 7