GLA:D Program for Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common lifestyle disease in individuals 65 year of age and older, but can also affect individuals as young as 30 years of age. The GLA:D program ( Good Life with Arthritis: Denmark ) is an education and exercise program developed by researchers in Denmark for people with hip or knee OA symptoms. Current clinical guidelines for lower limb OA (e.g. hip and knee) unanimously recommend exercise therapy, education and weight loss as a first line non-pharmacological treatment. GLA:D provides an evidence-based program aimed at improving the quality of care in clinical practice.
GLA:D program for hip & knee OA, coming to KRP in September.
Why the GLA:D program works
Unlike other programs, the GLA:D program is supported by compelling evidence and clinical guidelines. In Denmark, with more than 30 000 participant data, GLA:D has shown to reduce sick leave and pain (25%); improve function, knee-related quality of life and physical-activity levels; and reduce analgesia use by one-third.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recently published their guideline on the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis. This guideline is an update of their previous 2009 guideline. This guideline strongly recommends regular exercise for relieving pain and improving function in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis. Weight management for those who are over weight (BMI >25) is also strongly recommended. There are several interventions that are strongly recommended against such as opioid use, stem cell therapy and arthroscopic surgical interventions such as debridement and meniscectomy.
You can refer to the guideline here.
The bottom line is this program can delay or prevent surgical intervention and help patients with long term favourable outcomes in both pain and function.
OA treatment pyramid
GLA:D Australia training at KRP consists of:
A first appointment explaining the program and collecting data on your current functional ability.
Two education sessions which teach you about OA, how the GLA:D exercises improve joint stability, and how to retain this improved joint stability outside of the program.
Group neuromuscular training sessions twice a week for six weeks to improve muscle control of the joint which leads to reduction in symptoms and improved quality of life. All of which are fully supervised and delivered by our expert Physiotherapists here at KRP.
Is the GLA:D program for me?
The GLA:D Program here at KRP is for all individuals who experience any hip and/or knee osteoarthritis symptoms, regardless of severity. You may participate in the GLA:D program if you have a hip or knee joint problem that resulted in visiting a health care provider.
You may not be able to participate in the GLA:D program if you have other reasons for your hip and/or knee pain, including; tumor, inflammatory joint disease, result of hip fracture, soft tissue or connective tissue problems - all of these are taken into account during your initial assessment.
You do not need a referral from your Doctor, however you may be eligible for a rebate from Medicare for some of the cost of the program, if deemed appropriate by your GP.
Functional rehabilitation & neuromuscular retraining at the KRP Exercise Studio.
Let’s get started!
Current national and international clinical guidelines recommend patient education, exercise and weight loss as first line treatment for osteoarthritis. In Australia, treatment usually focuses on surgery and the GLA:D program offers an alternative that may avoid the need for surgery
The GLA:D program here at KRP is unique in that the education and exercises provided can be applied to everyday activities. By strengthening and correcting daily movement patterns, participants will train their bodies to move properly, prevent symptom progression and reduce pain.
Classes have started! Servicing Niddrie, Essendon, Airport West, Keilor & the Northern suburbs for over 40 years, you can book with one of our GLA:D Program experts online here or call 93794557 to speak to one of our admin superstars and get back into life.
References
Practitioners TRACoG. Guideline for the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis. 2nd edn. East Melbourne: RACGP; 2018.
Skou ST, Roos EM. Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D): evidence-based education and supervised neuromuscular exercise delivered by certified physiotherapists nationwide. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017;18(1):72