Case Study – Movement is Glenda’s secret weapon against knee osteoarthritis
For 85-year-old Glenda Gartrell who lives with knee osteoarthritis, daily life revolves around keeping active. If she finds herself sitting down for too long, she will jump on her exercise bike to get her body moving. Glenda is an advocate of the Osteoarthritis of the Knee Clinical Care Standard, released by the Commission on 15 August 2024.
Most mornings, Glenda walks five kilometres in her local suburb in Sydney’s Inner West. She also has an exercise regime to keep her leg muscles active, enjoys swimming and recently took up aquarobics.
As someone who espouses the benefits of movement to reduce osteoarthritic pain, Glenda is pleased to see greater focus on supporting patients with non-surgical interventions in the updated Osteoarthritis of the Knee Clinical Care Standard (2024), including physical activity, exercise and weight management.
The revised Standard, released by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, also has new guidance for healthcare providers on communicating effectively with patients using positive language, as well as stronger medication advice to avoid opioid analgesics and some joint injections.
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