MSK & Arthritis News

BackCare Awareness Week – Back Care in Education

2nd – 6th October 2017

So many people in the UK have some form of back pain. It is estimated that around 30 million people will suffer from back pain this year.

The debilitating condition can start in early life, as demonstrated by the fact that about one in four children regularly experience back pain. This is why BackCare, the national back pain charity, has chosen “Back Care in Education” as its theme for Back Care Awareness week, which is to take place between the 2 and 6 October this year.…

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North Wales ARMA Meetings for 2018

The North Wales ARMA Network has set advance details of its meetings for next year.

A map and directions are provided for meetings to be held on :-

• Tuesday 23th January 16:30 – 18:30 hours
• Tuesday 17th April 16:30 – 18:30 hours
• Tuesday 3th July 16:30 – 18:30 hours
• Tuesday 16th October 16:30 – 18:30 hours

Download full details in pdf format.

BMAS Autumn Meeting

Venue: Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4LE
Price from £140

Saturday 28 October 2017

Update yourself on the latest research into acupuncture, catch up with news, network with colleagues and earn CPD hours. Speakers to include:

  • Geoffrey Burnstock: Purinergic signalling and its involvement in pain and acupuncture
  • Berthold Henkel: Acupuncture for pain control after caesarean section
  • Taras Usichenko: Analgesic effects of auricular acupuncture
  • Catharina Klausenitz: Auricular acupuncture for exam anxiety in medical students

For further details and to register for courses, visit www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk/event-registration…

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RCN Rheumatology Forum study day and new publication

Bookings are now open for the RCN rheumatology study day being held on 12th January 2018.

RCN Rheumatology Nursing workshop 2018
‘Rheum with a view’

Royal College of Nursing, 20 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0RN
13:00 – 15:00

More information can be found here, including the event programme.

 

New Inflammatory Arthritis Publication

The newly updated guidance “Assessing, managing and monitoring biologic therapies for inflammatory arthritis” will soon be available to access from the www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/publications page.

One You campaign: 6 million adults do not do a monthly brisk 10 minute walk

Public Health England, as part of its ‘One You’ campaign, today (24 August 2017) reveals that 4 out of 10 (41%) adults aged 40 to 60 in England walk less than 10 minutes continuously each month at a brisk pace.

Over 6.3 million adults aged 40 to 60 do not achieve 10 minutes of continuous brisk walking over the course of a month and are missing out on important health benefits, according to evidence reviewed by Public Health England (PHE).…

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More people could be offered drugs to prevent bone fractures because of osteoporosis

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has now published its new guidance and cost effectiveness appraisal on the use of bisphosphonates for preventing bone fractures in people at increased risk. The new guidance links a person’s risk of having a bone fracture with the point at which treatment should be started, based on cost effectiveness – this is called a multi technology appraisal.

It recommends treatment with the bisphosphonate drugs alendronic acid, ibandronic acid and risedronate sodium as options for people who have at least a 1% risk of a bone fracture within the next 10 years.…

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British Chiropractic Association Autumn Conference 2017

Chiropractic: It’s not what I do, it’s who I am
(also commemorating 20 years of the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic)

30th September – 1st October 2017
University of South Wales

Speakers include: Josh Wagner, John M Ventura, Richard Brown, Ulrik Sandstrøm and Michael Stone

Harnessing and improving a practitioner’s skills to be the ‘Gold standard’ in spine care.
Includes a look at the impact of Chiropractic on Public Health.
Practical workshops to enhance clinical skills in an interdisciplinary setting.

Read more from the chiropractic website.…

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Becoming an Allied Health Profession marks an important milestone for osteopathy

Guest Blog by Robin Lansman, President of the Institute of Osteopathy and practicing osteopath

As President of the Institute of Osteopathy (the professional body that represents osteopaths) I was delighted when I was recently invited to contribute to the ARMA blog. Part of our ambition is to work with healthcare colleagues to enhance UK public health and as such, when considering contributing to this blog I’ve personally reflected on what I see to be key recognition of these activities and the progress that the Institute of Osteopathy has made over recent months.…

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ARMA Policy Position: Prevention of Musculoskeletal Conditions

Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions affect the bones, joints and muscles, and burdens the lives of so many people.

Musculoskeletal conditions are now the UK’s the biggest cause of pain and disability, accounting for an astounding one-in-five of all visits to the GP. Furthermore, trends indicate that more people than ever will be affected by MSK disorders in the coming years, which is why preventing them has never been more important. For this reason, the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA), an alliance of prominent health charities, professional and research bodies, has produced a Policy Position Paper on Prevention of Musculoskeletal conditions.…

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ARMA Policy Position Paper on Joint Replacement Surgery

In early August, ARMA has published a Policy Position Paper titled:

‘Rationing’ Access to Joint Replacement Surgery and Impact on People with Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions [document opens in pdf]

It deals with the damaging nature of thresholds and scoring tools, the problems of waiting times and restricted access to surgery, and how patients with musculoskeletal conditions are affected.

The Alliance is drawing attention to worrying trends in treatment access and the paper makes clear the key outcomes we are seeking from CCGs and the NHS.