Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Influencing policy and care together for best lifelong musculoskeletal health
Arthritis Action has launched a new webpage featuring arthritis-friendly exercises using animated images (GIFs). These chair-based strength and conditioning exercises were developed in partnership with wellbeing organisation Oomph!, mobilising different parts of the body.
The exercises were designed with the aim to recondition and build mobility and confidence in people who have not been keeping active. The can be viewed on the Arthritis Action website.
EULAR has published a new lay summary: EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis
EULAR is disseminating the lay versions of the recommendations to patient organisations and healthcare professionals to support patients and carers in managing their condition.
For more lay summaries of EULAR recommendations, go to the EULAR website.
Listen to Regina’s story of how she overcame osteoarthritis and difficulties with mobility with the help of the ESCAPE-pain group at her local leisure centre.
The ESCAPE-pain Programme: Helping people with chronic joint paint to self-manage their condition and become more physically active
At 76 years old, Regina had been suffering with osteoarthritis for over ten years and it was having a big impact on her life physically and emotionally. “I was in a bad place; I was in a wheelchair to start with.”…
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Arthur’s Place has created and launched “Project Mum” a support kit for young women with arthritis and related conditions, those who are considering becoming mothers in future, women who are currently pregnant and new mums. There will be advice for Dads-to-be and partners too, with or without arthritis.
Project Mum includes invaluable advice from health professionals, including consultant rheumatologists, nurse specialists, midwives, a physiotherapist, occupational therapist and three clinical psychologists. Arthur’s Place is also tremendously proud to include personal shared tips and advice from more experienced mums at Arthur’s Social: the Facebook community.…
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Harnessing the power of social media to promote public health
The Institute of Osteopathy (iO) has launched a new community Facebook page ‘Osteopathy for Health’ with the aim to provide the public with useful health advice and tips to support positive lifestyle behaviours.
The iO first launched ‘Osteopathy for Health’ as web-based information, supported by a series of advice leaflets that could be distributed by osteopaths and other healthcare practitioners. The project has now evolved to utilise the power of social media to spread health and lifestyle messages on exercise, diet, getting older, sleep, and mental health on a dedicated Facebook page ‘Osteopathy for Health’.…
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By Jill Hamilton, Professional Engagement Manager, National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society
Exercise is the single most important thing that anyone with axial SpA (AS) can do to self-manage their condition. It’s not always possible though; if someone is experiencing a flare or has severe physical disability as a result of their condition then exercising on land can be pretty much impossible. Exercising in water however is a lot easier; the warmth and the buoyancy make stretches more effective, it’s less painful, it’s easier to stay upright because the effect of gravity is less, it requires less physical effort and afterwards you usually have a really good night’s sleep!…
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In 2018 NASS held two community engagement conferences called NASS Voices, in Scotland and Northern Ireland, aiming to bring together people with axial SpA (AS), their families and friends, local rheumatologists, nurses, physiotherapists and others interested in the condition. The team wanted people to come with questions and leave with answers.
Feedback indicated that these events truly delivered on their promise, so NASS is excited to be running four more events in 2019.
Cardiff: Saturday 13 April 2019
Southampton: Saturday 11 May 2019
Leeds: Saturday 7 September 2019
London: Saturday 16 November 2019
These events will feature practical talks and activities delivered by rheumatologists, physiotherapists, branch representatives and members of the NASS team.…
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Friday 29 March 2019, 3:00pm
The importance of integrating psychosocial care into the treatment of long term musculoskeletal conditions is well established. What would this look like in practice? Using the example of the 3 Dimensions for Long Term Conditions service at King’s Health Partners this webinar will cover why and how to provide and effective integrated service which benefits patients and works for clinicians. The 3 dimensions service is not an MSK service, but the approach would work equally well in supporting people with MSK conditions.…
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by Leyla Hannbeck, Director of Pharmacy at NPA
People living with musculoskeletal conditions are often taking several prescribed and over-the-counter medicines, so come into frequent contact with their local pharmacist. For example, someone with arthritis may be taking Co-Codamol for pain relief, patches for heat therapy and amitriptyline for depression. (ARMA’s policy paper on mental health is a cogent reminder about the complex interplay of mental and physical conditions).
But even frequent visitors to pharmacies may not be aware of the full range of NHS services available there.…
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Pain Alliance Europe launched a new survey on stigma and chronic pain. One of the main “fights” PAE is leading is for the pain patient to be heard, believed and understood. The most recent survey developed deals with stigma related to chronic pain and will be open until the 1st of March, 2019.
Besides the many physical challenges that chronic pain inflicts, patients deal with the psychological burden of having a condition they do not deliberately choose to have.
To understand better to which extent stigma is a part of the illness pack in the life of a chronic pain patient, Pain Alliance Europe has directed its questions for 2019’s survey about chronic pain to the way patients perceive and are affected by the subjectivity of other categories from society that they come in contact with during their pain journey.…
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