OSTEOARTHRITIS

Is Osteoarthritis Causing You Hip And Knee Pain?

Want To Get Back To Doing The Things You Love?

We are excited to be in our 5th year of offering the successful, internationally recognised GLA:D hip and knee osteoarthritis programme. It provides physio-led targeted strength-based exercise and education classes for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Excellent results so far have assisted participants in gaining better understanding of their condition, building strength and function that allows them to move better and have less pain.

GLA:D™ is a groundbreaking education and exercise programme developed by researchers in Denmark for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis symptoms. Over 150,000 people with hip and knee OA have undergone this programme around the world with an average symptom reduction of 32%. Research from the GLA:D™ programme shows significant pain reduction, reduced pain reliever consumption, reduction in need for surgery, and clinically meaningful improvement in joint confidence. This means there are a lot of very satisfied and happy GLA:D participants around the world whose lives have changed for the better because of doing the programme!

What’s more impressive is that the program works just as well for people with severe OA as it does for those with mild OA. In fact, 72% of people that do the program either delay or avoid getting a hip or knee replacement. If you are awaiting a hip or knee replacement it has been shown to be an excellent pre-operative preparation program with participants having far better outcomes post-surgery. If you have just had a knee or hip replacement it can be an excellent post-operative recovery program.

Pretty much anyone can participate in this flexible program no matter how unfit or immobile you are, as it is adaptable to the individual.

This program is unique in that the education and exercises provided can be applied to everyday activities. Through strengthening and correcting daily movement patterns, participants will train their bodies to move properly, prevent symptom progression and reduce pain.

You First Physio is one of the first clinics in New Zealand to partner with GLA:D™ to offer this amazing programme.

From our Longhurst site we also provide education on pain and eating well. We explore how what we eat can benefit our joint health and we delve deeper into why we feel pain and how to combat it with things other than medications and surgery. Pippa Pettigrew gives a talk on how podiatry can help with osteoarthritis pain even with what shoes we wear. David Whitehead talks refreshingly and honestly about the surgical options, which are not necessarily the quick fix we might think they are.