Project Description
Osteoarthritis Treatment in Downtown Toronto
Osteoarthritis
Back In Balance Clinic in downtown Toronto offers osteoarthritis treatment. Osteoarthritis (OA) affects the cartilage in your joints. It most commonly affects the knee and the hip, but it can also affect any other synovial joint. As the condition progresses it often results in:
- Loss of cartilage with narrowing of joint space
- Increased stress on the bone, under the cartilage
- Changes in the tissues surrounding the joint
- Breakdown of the meniscus (of the knee) sometimes with tears
- Bony outgrowths or osteophytes
These changes can lead to symptoms including: Use-related pain, morning stiffness, and functional limitations.
To keep your cartilage healthy, mechanical loading and unloading (exercise) is necessary!
Diagnosis of osteoarthritis
OA can be diagnosed with symptoms, clinical findings, and considering risk factors. X-ray is not required! Symptoms and changes on X-ray are poorly related; they only match up 30-40% of the time. This means, you can have symptoms and no changes on X-ray, or changes on X-ray but no symptoms.
Risk factors for OA include:
- Age (40+)
- Sex (women)
- Overweight
- Prior joint injury
- Hard physical work
- Family history of OA
The GLA:D Program
The GLA:D® program is an 8-week education and exercise program for those with stiff and/or painful knees and/or hips, or those with knee and/or hip OA. Research from GLA:D Denmark (where it originated) shows that participants report less pain, reduced use of pain killer, fewer individuals on sick leave, and being more physically active.
GLA:D Canada is made up of 3 parts:
- Education sessions focusing on:
- What is osteoarthritis, risk factors, and symptoms
- Current available treatment for osteoarthritis
- How to self-manage your symptoms
- Why and how exercise can help with your osteoarthritis
- How to cope with the difficulties of daily activities associated with OA
- Neuromuscular exercise sessions
- Learn how to control your movements and proper posture
- Build muscular strength through functional exercises
- Learn how to apply these exercises to every activities
Information taken from gladcanada.ca