Category: Treatments & Therapies

London Choosing Wisely programme

The London Choosing Wisely programme is a clinically-led review of evidence for a set of surgical procedures. It looks to ensure they are used consistently across London and their use follows a criteria that ultimately improves the health of patients.

Aim of the review
To make sure people with an equal need, wherever they live in London, have equal access to treatments. A standard approach across London means people will achieve better healthcare and doctors will have better guidance on what should be offered to patients.…

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Hypermobility Management Workshop – a great success

The Hypermobility Syndromes Association, in partnership with Stickman Communications, hosted a Hypermobility Management Workshop on Saturday 25 February, with sections on exercise, pacing, flare-up plans, pain, and communicating about hidden disabilities.
The lecture-format sessions were in Hannah Ensor’s typical style – straightforward, with a dose of humour. The group discussions then provided a valuable opportunity to discuss and apply the information to daily life, sharing and exploring different solutions to the challenges we face.

Of course, being about pacing, what better opportunity to practice what we preach?…

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FSEM (UK) Responds to Draft Health and Care Workforce Strategy for England to 2027

The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK has responded to this Public Health England consultation with a focus on MSK services in the NHS.

The Faculty’s response emphasises that specialist clinicians are needed who understand the cause of MSK problems and are able to provide focused treatments as well as lifestyle interventions to manage and prevent MSK disorders. If the NHS could create MSK medicine consultants to lead services together with physiotherapy practitioners and GPs with a special interest, it would do a great service to the millions of patients that suffer from MSK disorders.…

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Physical activity, healthy eating and healthier weight toolkit

Business in the Community in association with Public Health England has published the sixth toolkit in the series “taking a whole-person approach to wellbeing“.

A lack of physical activity and poor eating habits leads to an unhealthy workforce. Around a third of adults in England are damaging their health through a lack of physical activity. In fact, one in four women and one in five men in England are defined as inactive, doing less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each week.…

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Musculoskeletal, falls, fractures & frailty: showcasing projects from the AHSN Network

A new guide has been published to showcase the extensive range of programmes being delivered by the AHSN Network to improve clinical services in the areas of musculoskeletal (MSK), falls, fractures and frailty, all key priorities for the NHS.

Collectively, MSK, falls, fractures and frailty have a major detrimental impact on patients, families and carers, and are a major cost to the NHS.

With a growing and ageing population, health and social care services need to be proactive in their response to this challenge.…

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Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs – A back-care toolkit

Guest blog by Alison Trewhela, Director of the Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs Institute

Evidence-based exercise for people restricted by back pain, fearful of movement, in considerable pain, or with other illnesses and injuries, ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ (YHLB) is a gentle 12-week mind-body exercise programme offering a potentially life-long solution.

Public Health England has recently included YHLB as one of seven evidence-based MSK options in their PHE MSK ROI Return on Investment Interventions report and online tool.…

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Portsmouth Flare Rollercoaster workshop

Flare Roller Coaster for People Living with Arthritis and Connective Tissue Diseases

The Next Rheumatology Flare Roller Coaster workshop will be held on Saturday 3rd February 2018, from 09:30 -13:00.
Venue: Fracture Clinic – C Level, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham PO6 3LY

Places are limited so please register early.

To book your place or receive more information, email: rheumatology.conference@porthosp.nhs.uk or telephone 02392286935

For frequently asked questions about our Flare Rollercoaster workshop, please see our leaflet [PDF].

If you have arthritis or a connective tissue disease, the festive period can be tough.…

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Portsmouth Department of Rheumatology dancing class

Fourteen patients and their partners and staff from the Department of Rheumatology are about to complete their 6-week ballroom class. Over the weeks they will have taken an additional 12,000 steps and exercised for around extra 5.5 hours.

Claire Jeffries, Rheumatology Specialist, Physiotherapist and Hydrotherapy Manager, points out that there are many health benefits of dancing: “it’s great for people of all ages, shapes and sizes”.

Dancing offers a wide range of physical and mental benefits:

  • improved condition of your heart and lungs
  • increased muscular tone, strength, endurance and motor fitness
  • increased aerobic fitness
  • weight management
  • stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis
  • better coordination, balance, agility and flexibility
  • increased physical confidence
  • improved mental functioning and psychological wellbeing
  • greater self-confidence and self-esteem

The Department of Rheumatology would encourage people living with Arthritis and connective tissue diseases to consider dance as a form of activity.…

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Spark innovation for the everyday challenges of arthritis

Recently, Arthritis Research UK has launched another round of Spark funding in collaboration with the Design Council. The Spark programme provides funding and support to UK-based innovators to develop products that will help tackle the everyday challenges that people with arthritis face, so improving their quality of life.

This exciting initiative aims to support the development of assistive products that help people living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions to live well, to help people be independent and to be in control of their lives as much as possible.…

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Exercise venue preferences for ESCAPE-pain: We want your views

ESCAPE-pain is a 6 week rehabilitation programme for individuals with knee and hip osteoarthritis which aims to educate participants on their condition, self-management and coping strategies as well as exercise. The Health Innovation Network, the Academic Health Science Network, has been working hard for the past 3+ years to spread the adoption of ESCAPE-pain across the U.K, and recently, has been awarded a grant by Sport England as part of their ‘Active Ageing’ project to target inactive adults in particular and increase access to the programme.…

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