GLA:D now in Nova Scotia

Osteoarthritis in the hips and knees can cause significant pain and make it difficult to continue enjoying the activities you love to do.  As a physiotherapist, I have seen a lot of people struggle with continuing to be active after the onset of osteoarthritis-related symptoms. Consequently, physiotherapy for arthritis has been a big part of my career over the years. Often, the pain causes people instinctively to decrease their activity levels, which unfortunately typically worsens their symptoms. The good news is that physiotherapy for arthritis has come a long way throughout the years. In truth, one of the best things you can do to manage your symptoms of osteoarthritis is to remain physically active. Many of my clients wonder what physiotherapy for arthritis can do for them. Luckily, I can tell them that physiotherapy for arthritis is actually one of the best things they can do to improve pain, stiffness and function!

The key to having success with exercise in the management of osteoarthritis is knowledge. It’s often the first step when implementing physiotherapy for arthritis. Knowing what to do, when to do it and how to do it empowers people to have better control of their symptoms, and leads to better success with physiotherapy for arthritis.  This is the beauty of the GLA:D (Good Living with osteoArthritis, from Denmark) program.  It is a neuromuscular exercise and education program that was developed based on over 50 research studies that support exercise and education for symptom management in hip and knee osteoarthritis.

Participants in the GLA:D program have a physiotherapy assessment to determine their baseline strength and movement patterns and then complete an individualized exercise program in a group setting for 12 sessions.  They also attend 2 education sessions to learn about osteoarthritis and best practices for self-management.

Since its inception in 2012, thousands of participants have gone through the program worldwide and have seen great results.  In addition to an average 27% decrease in pain intensity, participants also showed improved strength, walking speed and quality of life (outcomes that are very important in physiotherapy for arthritis!).  Many participants are able to decrease their pain medications and some even choose to delay joint replacement surgery due to the improvement in their symptoms.  It’s easy to see why physiotherapy for arthritis is such a great option for managing the symptoms of hip and knee osetoarthritis!

In Nova Scotia, approximately 29% of adults aged 45-64 years are diagnosed with arthritis; in adults aged 65 and up, that number rises to 53%.  The majority of these cases are osteoarthritis and many would benefit from physiotherapy for arthritis.  Nova Scotians can now access the GLA:D program as one of the options for physiotherapy for arthritis to help ensure they maintain the highest quality of life possible despite their diagnosis.

While physiotherapy for arthritis is common practice, Zoomers Physiotherapy and Health Solutions was excited to be the first clinic in Nova Scotia to offer the GLA:D program.  The first session ran in September 2018 and it has been provided on a regular basis since that time.  Zoomers plans to continue offering physiotherapy for arthritis and this beneficial program in the years to come!  

If you’re wondering if the GLA:D Program is the right fit for you, book a physiotherapy assessment with a Zoomers Physiotherapist to find out!