We are working in partnership with ESCAPE-pain, seeking to improve the mobility independence and health of over 45's living with osteoarthritis and chronic joint pain. Today we start recruitment for a Programme that aims to support those living with joint pain in their hips or knees and osteoarthritis and provides them with the skills to manage their symptoms more effectively and set goals that will motivate patients to continue exercising.
Joint pain and stiffness are common, but they can be disabling and have a significant impact on the ways people are able to lead day-to-day life. As we get older our joints and the muscles and ligaments that surround them become more susceptible to degeneration, often as a result of the stresses and strains they have withstood throughout our lifetime.
People who experience joint pain and stiffness will often be told they have osteoarthritis. This affects approximately 8 million people in the UK, and is becoming more common as we live longer. Care City in collaboration with ESCAPE-pain are running a series of physiotherapist-led sessions, taking place at the Sue Bramley Centre, Barking. Commencing on the 20th August, this 12-session programme, twice a week for 6-weeks, for people over the age of 45 aims to:
- Enable them to manage their joint pain, helping them to carry out normal activities without fearing pain
- Help them to appreciate the benefits of simple exercise, encouraging them to become active and independent
- Provide them with the skills and suggest ways that they may manage their symptoms more effectively
- Work with them to plan their activities and set goals they can achieve through exercise
- Provide a fun, group-based activity to allow people suffering from joint pain to discuss and overcome their issues together!!
John Craig, Chief Executive, Care City commented “Many people think osteoarthritis and joint pain is untreatable, however this is not correct. Whilst getting rid of joint pain completely is not possible, there is a lot that can be done to reduce pain and maximise a patient’s ability to do what they want. The commencement of this programme is another step towards our goal of helping our local residents achieve a healthier, happier, more independent older age. It also supports our vision for Barking Riverside as a Healthy New Town”.
Mike Hurley, Clinical Director and originator of the ESCAPE-pain programme, commented “Care City is a really exciting initiative, so we’re really delighted that our ESCAPE-pain programme has been identified as something that might help the large number of people struggling with joint pain. We’re confident ESCAPE-pain will prove as effective in the other centres across the UK, helping the people of Care City to live better lives.”
About ESCAPE-pain
Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Pain through Exercise – ESCAPE-pain – is a rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain that integrates simple education, self-management and coping strategies, with an exercise regimen individualised for each person undertaking the programme.
The programme aims to help people understand their condition better, and to realise that exercise is a safe and effective self-management strategy, that can be used to reduce joint pain and the physical and psychosocial effects of joint pain.
ESCAPE-pain has been recognised with awards from both the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the British Society for Rheumatology, and is cited in the NICE clinical guidelines for osteoarthritis. More recently, ESCAPE-pain has been recommended as a preferred intervention for musculoskeletal conditions by Public Health England in a Return on Investment tool which showed a positive ROI of £5.20 for every £1 spent.
About the Health Innovation Network
The Health Innovation Network is the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) for south London, one of 15 AHSNs across England. As the only bodies that connect NHS and academic organisations, local authorities, the third sector and industry, we are catalysts that create the right conditions to facilitate change across whole health and social care economies, with a clear focus on improving outcomes for patients. This means AHSNs are uniquely placed to identify and spread health innovation at pace and scale; driving the adoption and spread of innovative ideas and technologies across large populations.
