NASS seeks partner to co-design integrated pilot

NASS invites expressions of interest to co-design and test an Integrated Pilot as part of the implementation of our Gold Standard Time to Diagnosis for axial SpA.

Do you want to be at the forefront of ending the delay to diagnosis in axial SpA?

In June 2021, the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS) published a route map to achieve a Gold Standard Time to Diagnosis of one year through the Act on Axial SpA campaign. The route map proposes four key interventions for achieving this goal.…

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NRAS Wellbeing Courses

wellbeing scheduleNRAS launched their Wellbeing Courses in May and owing to their success the next set are now being released.

The NRAS Wellbeing Courses starting within the next month are: 

  • Tripudio: Gentle form of exercise performed to different genres of music. 
  • Yoga: Breathing exercises to help support day-to-day exercises, designed to help create a little mobility and strength throughout the entire body.
  • Tapping for Pain Management: Gently tap the various acupressure points with techniques aiming to relax the mind and body. 

The courses consist of either two or five/six weeks in length, meeting once a week online.…

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Gloucestershire Cryotherapy trial following knee surgery

knee surgeryRecovery from knee replacement surgery can be delayed by pain and swelling caused by the operation. Encouraging range of movement and mobilisation as soon as possible after surgery is part of the ‘Enhanced Recovery after Surgery’ pathway at Cheltenham General Hospital.

Thanks to a grant from the Gloucestershire Arthritis Trust (GAT), and in partnership with PhysioLab Technologies who have designed an innovative cryotherapy system, Orthopaedic Surgeon Peter Kempshall will undertake a pilot study of 200 knee replacement patients to undergo cryotherapy postoperatively, starting in July.…

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Guest blog: No pain, no gain?

Ben WilkinsLooking differently at leisure places as spaces for chronic pain management

by Ben Wilkins, CEO, Good Boost

15.5 million people in England live with chronic pain. Approximately 5.5 million (12% of the population) have high-impact chronic pain, where pain makes it an on-going challenge to take part in daily activities (Versus Arthritis, 2021). The main contributing factor for 8-in-10 people living with chronic pain are musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoarthritis, back and neck pain. For people living with this, it’s not just a ‘ache in your back’ or a ‘twinge in your knee’, it’s an unrelenting and all-consuming part of everyday life.…

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Psoriasis Association’s Facebook Live sessions

New videos of Facebook Live sessions on psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and lifestyle now available

The Psoriasis Association is delighted to bring you recordings from the two Facebook Live sessions that we held during Psoriasis Awareness Week 2021. The videos feature information and advice from experts in nutrition and exercise, based on this year’s Psoriasis Awareness Week theme – lifestyle factors that may be important to consider when living with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis – including diet and exercise.

The first video Pso: Let’s Talk Food sees Consultant Dermatologist and nutrition expert, Dr Thiviyani Maruthappu, and Professor of Health Psychology/Behavioural Medicine at Cardiff University, Professor Christine Bundy, examine the evidence for nutrition in psoriasis.…

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Long COVID self-management tools

Physiotherapist Katie Knapton from PhysioFit and Pete Moore from the PainToolkit have co-written a self-management guide for people suffering with Long Covid. This is free and entry-level information to try and help people on the path to recovery.

If you are noticing any worsening symptoms especially in terms of chest pain and shortness of breath it is vital that you are medically assessed. If you have been medically cleared, then it is still appropriate to have support and to monitor symptoms.…

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Home Games for people with MSK conditions

Home Games launched to promote physical activity for people with MSK conditions

The We Are Undefeatable campaign has launched the Home Games – a virtual event and training schedule modelled on a decathlon – for people living with long-term health conditions to take part in each week.

Led by Paralympians Dame Sarah Storey and Lauren Rowles MBE, two teams were taken through 10 weeks of training, culminating in a fun head-to-head competition where participants could see how far they had come.…

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New booklet: Medicines in JIA

NRAS is pleased to announce the launch of its new JIA booklet Medicines in JIA. The focus of the booklet is on the medicines that are used to treat JIA, but it also contains information about what parents and young people with JIA can expect at every stage from diagnosis to ongoing long-term care, showing that medicines are only one part of treatment.

The new booklet can be ordered or downloaded for free from the JIA website.

NRAS Upcoming Events:

  • Thurs 1st July, 4pm – Facebook Live: COVID and Inflammatory Arthritis Update with Prof.


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BackCare’s pain management webinar

The basis of the webinar was to provide a closer insight into back pain whatever the cause and to evaluate alleviating back pain from three different angles, these being: therapies, minimally invasive surgery and medication, with each area represented by an expert in the field.

Dr Brian Hammond PhD, Vice President of the National Back Pain Association (more commonly known as BackCare) discussed therapies; Dr Basil Almahdi, Consultant Pain Specialist analysed surgery and minimally invasive treatments of problems caused by degenerative spinal disease; and Dr Anthony Ordman, past president of the pain medicine section of the Royal Society of Medicine, reviewed medicines with a special interest in cannabinoids.…

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Post-viral fatigue after COVID

It is estimated that one in 10 people still have symptoms 12 weeks after falling ill with COVID-19. Experts at BASRAT have compiled this infographic to aid recovery from Long COVID and post-viral fatigue.

Experts at BASRAT have compiled this infographic to aid recovery from Long COVID and post-viral fatigue.

The infographic includes the latest knowledge and input from Graduate Sport Rehabilitators working with COVID patients. The content and terminology has been tailored to help patients and reinforce confidence that the fatigue they experience is manageable and treatable.