Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and knee can result in pain and loss of function thereby resulting in disability for many Canadians. Implementation of an evidence-based education and exercise program, GoodLife with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D®), reduces pain and medication use and improves quality of life and physical activity through 1 year of follow-up. This program has been adapted for and is being implemented across Canada.
This session will provide an overview of the current knowledge on OA pathology. It will then review an evidence-based education and exercise treatment program including how the exercises provide joint stability and can be applied in daily activity to achieve sustainable functional improvements. This will be linked to Occupational Therapy settings and be discussed in the context of empowering patients with hip and knee OA to self-manage their condition and optimize their function.