F44 - white - don't drink/smoke/use recreational drugs

5'5", 138#

Went to doctor for periodic left knee pain that wasn't improving and feeling like the knee would give out while walking up/down stairs or doing weight-bearing exercises. After reviewing left/right knee MRI/x-ray, diagnosed with patellofemoral pain and told the following:

"Do gradually progressive straight leg raises and follow up if not getting better. Use ice as needed. Especially after straight leg raises.

Can break them up however you would like to for sets (ie 5, 10, 15, 20 at a time) during the day. Do not push through knee pain, and do not do so many if you are "paying a price" with worsening pain or swelling afterwards. Gradually increase as able over the next few weeks to months (up to 300 max per day)"

Treatment plan: Exercise (leg lifts, calf raises, banded clams, banded glute bridges, stretches, upper body 4x/week), lots of protein, ice as needed, ibuprofen maybe 1x/month if I can't sleep due to pain, collagen, avoid stairs/sitting too long/hiking until knee pain improves

Question: Is there anything else I should be doing to help slow the progression of the knee issues, or am I just borked because the hip OA will override everything?

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Diagnostic info if you want it:

January 2018 - Dx OA in both hips

Left hip: Severe osteoarthritis with joint space narrowing, large osteophytes and subchondral cystic change. No acute fracture or dislocation. No evidence of AVN. Pubic rami are intact.
Right hip: Moderate-severe degenerative changes with superior joint space narrowing and osteophytes.
Pubic symphysis and SI joints: Normal
Soft tissues: Normal
Other findings: None significant

October 2022 - Dx OA in left knee, degenerative changes in right knee, patellofemoral pain

(x-rays from January 2018 of both knees showed no issues at all, so this all developed in the last five years)

Left knee (MRI):

FLUID: No significant effusion or Baker's cyst.
MENISCI: Medial and lateral meniscus are intact and unremarkable.
TENDONS/LIGAMENTS: The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments are intact.
The medial collateral ligament is intact.
The fibular collateral ligament, biceps femoris tendon, iliotibial tract and popliteus tendon are intact and unremarkable.
Retinacula and extensor mechanism are intact and unremarkable. There is a chronic calcification in the distal quadriceps tendon just proximal to its patellar insertion better seen on prior radiographs..
MUSCLES: Mild lateral gastrocnemius muscle edema. No muscle atrophy.
CARTILAGE: Multiple partial-thickness grade 2 and grade 3 cartilage fissures lining the medial patellar facet and the patellar median ridge with minimal nearby subchondral edema. Full-thickness fissure in the central femoral trochlear cartilage caudally. No significant cartilage loss in the medial or lateral compartments.
BONES: Otherwise normal marrow signal and alignment. Minimal patellar undersurface spurring.
OTHER: Negative.

Right knee (x-ray):

Findings: There is no fracture involving the right knee. There is enthesopathic change involving the superior aspect of the patella. There may be subtle chondrocalcinosis. There are findings of bony proliferation in the joint spaces particularly the patellofemoral joint space.