Category: Treatments & Therapies

The ESCAPE-pain programme in practice

Case study of improved mobility and independence

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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Adapted Homes, Empowered Lives report

On 8 May, Versus Arthritis published a new policy report looking at the impact of home aids and adaptations for people with arthritis, and the barriers that people face when trying to access them. Read the full report here, which includes powerful stories from people with arthritis who benefit from aids and adaptations.

We found that aids and adaptations – from perching stools and grabbing tools, to grab rails and stair lifts – can help people with arthritis, and related conditions such as back pain, achieve a better quality of life and maintain their independence in the home.…

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Save Our Pools – Guest Blog

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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Keywing – Design Council Spark Award winner

New product the Keywing is opening the door for millions to use keys with ease, while restoring independence.

Winner of the Design Council Spark Award and a £65,000 investment from charity Versus Arthritis, the Keywing is being released on the 27 March 2019, helping millions with reduced dexterity to open doors and regain independence.

Retailing from £4.99, the Keywing is a simple, innovative and thoughtfully designed product that clips onto keys. Once in place, it creates a larger surface area and longer lever, making keys easier to hold, grasp and turn, and locks much easier to open.…

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Guest blog: Keep on personalising care

by Sarah Duncan, Head of Clinical Policy, NHS England

An interview on the news recently about stem cell research into cartilage replacement for osteoarthritis, made me reflect on the phenomenal pace of change and progress in the relatively short time of my career. As a new physiotherapist in the mid-1980s we used short wave diathermy; long flexible heated tubes wrapped around a patient’s knees, to help with the pain of arthritis. Although patients really enjoyed the heat, it made little difference to their ongoing pain and mobility.…

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Annual Lecture 2018

More people, more active, more often: three perspectives on physical activity and musculoskeletal health

21 November 2018

Introduced by Sue Brown ARMA CEO and Liam O’Toole, CEO, Versus Arthritis, who partnered with ARMA for the flagship lecture, the three presenters delivered speeches that did not disappoint the rapt audience of health professionals, commissioners, patients, public and NHS health officials and, of course, parkrunners. The discussion about how to overcome the barriers to activity faced by people with musculoskeletal conditions ranged from big-picture societal issues to practical hows-to.…

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Guest blog: What is Moving Medicine?

by Dr Hamish Reid, Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine, Moving Medicine design and development lead

Moving Medicine is an exciting new initiative by the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine in partnership with Public Health England and Sport England. It is dedicated to spreading best practice, research and advice to clinicians and patients to create a healthier, happier and more active nation. On the 16th October 2018 the initiative was formally launched by the Honourable Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, headlining the flagship set of resources to support high quality conversations on physical activity across a broad range of chronic diseases including musculoskeletal pain.…

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Attend the annual ARMA lecture on physical activity

Taking place on Wednesday 21 November 2018 at 6pm in London.

Hear and debate three perspectives on physical activity at the Annual ARMA Lecture, this year in partnership with Versus Arthritis. Three outstanding speakers, Nick Pearson, CEO parkrun, Michael Brennan, Physical Activity Programme Manager, Public Health England and Claire Harris, Physiotherapist speak to the theme: More people, more active, more often: three perspectives on physical activity and musculoskeletal health

Physical activity is good for promoting musculoskeletal health and helps alleviate the symptoms of musculoskeletal conditions.…

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More people, more active, more often: three perspectives on physical activity and musculoskeletal health

The ARMA annual lecture will be on 21 November on the theme of physical activity. Three speakers will discuss three different perspectives on how to get more people, more active, more often. The event will discuss the roles of statutory, voluntary, private sectors and communities in addressing this important challenge.

  • the CEO of parkrun
  • the physical activity programme manager from Public Health England
  • a musculoskeletal specialist physiotherapist.

Look out for booking details coming soon.

BASK Revision Knee Replacement Priority Setting Partnership

Help us guide future research about problematic knee replacements

The British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK) is running a Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) in partnership with the James Lind Alliance (JLA). The aim of this process is to bring patients and carers together with a range of healthcare professionals. We want all groups to highlight uncertainties relating to the assessment, management and rehabilitation of ‘patients with a problematic knee replacement’. We will thereby identify future research questions and ultimately publish a list of ‘top 10 research priorities’.…

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