Managing Osteoarthritis
Do you have pain or stiffness in your legs, knees, hips or spine? According to Canada.ca, about 13.6% of Canadians 20 years of age and older live with undiagnosed osteoarthritis; females generally are affected more than males. If you experience joint discomfort in your knees and/or hips, you may want to consider participating in GLA:D Canada group sessions.
What is Osteoarthritis and how is it managed?
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is progressive, occurring when the cartilage cushioning your bones starts to erode. It mostly affects the hands, knees, hips and spine, but can ultimately manifest in any joint.
Management of the condition is necessary since the damage to these joints cannot be reversed; however, exercise and other protective measures can be put in place to help improve one’s overall quality of life.
Who is GLA:D for and who can benefit
GLA:D is a program originating from Denmark and adjusted to fit Canadian standards. It offers group-structured education and exercise over a period of 7 weeks, to give patients tools to manage their knee or hip osteoarthritis. Anyone with hip or knee OA symptoms can benefit from this program.
Program attendees report less pain, less painkiller use and less time taken off of work.
What can you expect when you participate?
Participants can look forward to two 60-minute group education sessions delivered by an experienced kinesiologist, followed by 12 60-minute group exercise sessions. Data collection is periodically done through the program to ensure quality outcomes, and participants may elect to complete surveys to help GLA:D Canada continuously improve.
Our Practicing Kinesiologist
Kinesiologist Rachel Cheung, BA Kin, MSc Sports Science, has recently completed the GLA:D program. She has more than 10 years of experience in the kinesiology field and has experience with soft tissue injuries, postural malalignment, and pain management.
Rachel recently completed the program and would be happy to talk about the benefits of the program and how you can get involved. After a physical assessment and functional testing, you may be approved for participation.
Here are some images of exercises that help with Osteoarthritis, some of which may be recommended to you in GLA:D sessions:
We’re excited to offer this treatment plan at our clinic. Please contact us by email or by phone if you’d like to sign up or find out more information.
References
Osteoarthritis in Canada. “Highlights from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System.” Government of Canada
GLA:D Canada and Osteoarthritis
