Do you have hip or knee arthritis? Do you feel like you’ve tried everything possible to help reduce the pain? Have you been told to simply wait until it becomes so bad you can’t walk and then have a joint replacement?
What if I told you there is a new program that, after just 6 weeks, has been proven to reduce pain, reduce pain medications taken and increase overall physical activity levels?
Sounds GREAT! But what is it?
What is GLA:D?
GLA:D is a fantastic new program from Denmark for people suffering from knee or hip arthritis, no matter how early or late stage it is. The earlier we can address the issues associated with arthritis the better. So even if you have not been diagnosed with arthritis but have been diagnosed with a labral tear (in the hip) or meniscal tear (in the knee) and you did not suffer any trauma – you are a perfect candidate! As it is now believed that these are the early signs of arthritis.
The program only takes 6 weeks and involves a simple exercise program that is guided by a GLA:D qualified physiotherapist who will monitor your progress and pain throughout the program.
It also includes two detailed education sessions providing you with everything you need to know about arthritis and exercise, as well as dispelling the myths associated with arthritis, such as:
- Exercise will make my knee arthritis worse
- Rest is the best medicine
Why is this program better than others?
Clinic guidelines from around the world recommend education, exercise and weight loss as the first-line treatment for osteoarthritis. GLA:D focuses on these specific strategies to help improve your joint confidence. When performing these exercises you will practice things you do in everyday life, this is what makes the program unique. In Denmark, GLA:D resulted in:
- 24% reduction in pain intensity
- 19% reduction in the use of pain medication
- 32% reduction in symptom progression
I’ve already tried exercise and it didn’t work…
GLA:D is unique in the way it focuses on specific neuromuscular exercises to improve the way you move and gives you more confidence to perform daily tasks. It was possible your previous exercise may not have been appropriate or specific to your condition. Like anything in life, your exercise needs to be adequately dosed. Completing exercise less than twice a week is unlikely to be effective. Six weeks should be the minimum period an exercise program is performed to give it any chance to work. In Denmark, GLA:D participants had a 32% increase in overall physical activity levels after 1 year and 95% continue to apply what they learned from GLA:D.
Why can’t I just have a knee replacement, wouldn’t that be faster?
Joint replacements should not be provided to people who have not adequately trialed first-line treatments such as the GLA:D program. Surgery is associated with risks, potential complications, large costs and long recovery periods. On average, 20-40% of people have remaining pain and reduced confidence after a joint replacement.
Completing GLA:D first can improve your pain by 30% and two-thirds of people delay surgery by two years. This reduces the need for a revision (replacement of the replacement when it wears out after 10-15 years), which is correlated with even poorer outcomes. GLA:D offers a safe alternative that may avoid the need for future joint replacement.
What is involved?
In your first appointment, we take a baseline assessment of your current function. We host two FREE education sessions to teach you about osteoarthritis, how GLA:D works and how to retain this outside of the program. You will then undertake 12 supervised group exercise sessions over 6 weeks and have 3 and 12 months follow-up appointments.
When can I attend?
The two education sessions are completely FREE! Our first session will be held on Tuesday the 17th of September at 7:30 pm, which gives you the opportunity to learn more about the program.
We encourage you to bring your friends, family and to inform your local GP.
Our group exercise sessions are currently being held every Tuesday at 2 pm and Friday at 12 pm.
Click here to learn more about GLA:D from the creators themselves. To book your free education session CLICK HERE or call our team on 9583 1149.
Author: Nicholas Matkovic
Physiotherapist