The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to shift how we deliver care to those living with osteoarthritis. There has been an increasing number of online resources including websites, decision aids, remotely delivered programs and podcasts such as Joint Action which have become increasingly popular in the past year. With the numerous resources available, how do we know which programs are suitable and evidence-based?

The OARSI Joint Effort Initiative is a collaboration between international clinicians and researchers with an interest in the implementation of OA management programs. Their aim is to improve overall care with a focus on core interventions such as education, exercise and weight management.

On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Dr Jillian Eyles and Dr Jocelyn Bowden to discuss the OARSI Joint Effort Initiative and online resources for osteoarthritis.

RESOURCES

• LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OARSI JOINT EFFORT INITIATIVE
• Online Osteoarthritis Management Programs repository
• Joint Action website

OA consumer and consumer advocacy organisations

• Arthritis Australia
• Versus Arthritis (UK)
• Arthritis Society (Canada)
• Osteoarthritis Foundation International (Spain)
• Arthritis Foundation (USA)
• OA Action Alliance (USA)

Other organisations

• NPS MedicineWise: Knee and hip osteoarthritis. (Australia)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA): chronic disease Self-management program
• Joint Implementation of Osteoarthritis Guidelines Across Western-Europe (JIGSAW-E)
• Australian Heart Foundation

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

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Biological markers or commonly referred to as biomarkers are biological measures or medical signs which can be measured accurately and reproducibly in patients. Examples of biomarkers can be anything from pulse and blood pressure to more complex blood tests and other tissues. There are different types of biomarkers including systemic and molecular biomarkers and the investigation of these provide potential targets for developing osteoarthritis disease-modifying drugs.

On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Virginia Kraus to discuss the role of biomarkers in osteoarthritis and in particularly their role in drug development.

Virginia Kraus is a Professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine. She is a practicing Rheumatologist with over 20 years experience in musculoskeletal research focusing on osteoarthritis. She is an adjunct Professor of Pathology and an adjunct Associate Professor of Surgery. Her career has focused on elucidating osteoarthritis pathogenesis and translational research into the discovery and validation of biomarkers for early osteoarthritis detection, prediction of progression, and monitoring of disease status.

Listen to Virginia and The Women's Voices Chorus here.

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

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Sleep disturbances are common in those with osteoarthritis. Research has postulated that poor night time sleep is associated with increased pain the following day and that sleep disturbances are associated with increased risk for developing or worsening pain in the long-term. The interactions between pain and sleep are complex.

On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Peter Cistulli to discuss the relationship between sleep and pain and how we can improve sleep.

Professor Peter Cistulli holds the ResMed Chair in Sleep Medicine at the University of Sydney, where he leads the Sleep Research Theme within the multidisciplinary Charles Perkins Centre. He heads the Discipline of Sleep Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He is also Director of the Centre for Sleep Health & Research in the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. He is an active clinician researcher with 28 years experience in in the fields of respiratory and sleep medicine. His thematic research has focussed on the pathophysiology of Sleep-disordered Breathing, and novel approaches to therapy.

RESOURCES

• The Sleep Health Foundation
• Sleep Quality and Fatigue Are Associated with Pain Exacerbations of Hip Osteoarthritis

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts!

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The prevalence of osteoarthritis continues to grow with the increasing rates of obesity. Obesity is a major risk factor for the progression of osteoarthritis and those who are obese are at an increased risk for requiring a total knee replacement.

By preventing weight-related osteoarthritis as well as helping to manage people’s weight, we may be able to reduce the burden of OA. The effects of weight loss on knee osteoarthritis pain have been well established, however, is difficult to achieve for most people. On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Dr Jonathan Samuels to discuss the role of bariatric weight loss and how it may delay or eliminate the need for total knee replacement in some.

Dr Jonathan Samuels is a rheumatologist at NYU Langone Health, located in Manhattan, New York. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr Samuels’ focus is on osteoarthritis of the hip and knee and he strives to contribute to significant breakthroughs in this area by working in collaboration with orthopaedic and bariatric specialists.

RESOURCES

• Predictors of the effect of bariatric surgery on knee osteoarthritis pain
• Surgical weight-loss to improve functional status trajectories following total knee arthroplasty: SWIFT trial: Rationale, design, and methods

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts!

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Managing osteoarthritis pain remains a challenge for patients and clinicians. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often used despite the potential risk associated with long-term use. In recent years, new advances have led to the exploration of central acting medications such as duloxetine for osteoarthritis pain. Despite this, those with OA continue to suffer from inadequate pain relief. By better understanding the pathways which influence pain, we may be able to better treat OA pain by identifying potential therapeutic targets. On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Anne-Marie Malfait to discuss where osteoarthritis pain comes from.

Anne Marie’s research focuses on pain osteoarthritis. She is the Professor of Internal Medicine and The George W. Stuppy, MD, Chair of Arthritis at Rush University in Chicago IL. Anne-Marie received her MD degree in 1989 and her PhD in 1994, both from Ghent University in Belgium. Her early research training focused on cartilage metabolism in osteoarthritis. Her postdoctoral training at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology in London focused on the role of cytokines in inflammatory arthritis. In 2001, she joined the pharmaceutical industry, joining a team for the development of disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs).

Since 2009, Anne Marie has been at Rush University, and established a research group studying pain in osteoarthritis, using animal models. Her group studies the relationship between joint damage and the neurobiological processes that underlie OA pain, with the long-term goal to develop more efficacious and safer analgesics and DMOADs.

CONNECT WITH ANNE-MARIE

• Twitter: @AM_Malf
• Website: http://www.annemariemalfait.com/

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts!

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Despite the numerous guidelines supporting exercise and weight loss/management for osteoarthritis, they are challenging to implement in day-to-day life. Key actions for management are often not reaching health care providers and patients do not always receive high-value care. One of the biggest barriers to behaviour change is getting people to start and adhere to a lifestyle intervention. On a systems level, there are major challenges with access to care and communication regarding optimal care. On this episode of Joint Action, in an era being affected by COVID, Julie Leask joins us to discuss how we can improve behaviour change in OA from our learnings from current vaccination strategies. 

Julie is professor at the University of Sydney’s Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery. Her research over 23 years has focused on the social and behavioural aspects of immunisation – what people think and do about it, programs and policies. She has a Master of Public Health and nursing and midwifery qualifications. Julie is visiting fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance where she previously worked for 12 years and set up the social science unit. She currently chairs the WHO Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination working group. In 2019, Julie was the overall winner of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence award.

RESOURCES

• Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation for Providers: Talking About Immunisation
• Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation: Talking About Immunisation
• The Osteoarthritis Action Alliance: Communicating with Patients
• The BMJ: Motivational Interviewing
• Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers
• Australian Family Practice: Motivational interviewing techniques - facilitating behaviour change in the general practice setting

CONNECT WITH JULIE

• Twitter: @JulieLeask
• Blog: https://julieleask.wordpress.com/

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts!

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Physiotherapists play an important role in osteoarthritis management. A good physiotherapist can aid in the reduction of OA symptoms, however, one major ongoing issue is the problem of low-value healthcare. Low value healthcare are treatments which broadly encompasses passive modalities such as interferential current, ultrasound, unnecessary imaging in favour of high value treatments such as exercise. Low value care can lead to treatments that provide little to no benefit or even harm to patients.

On today’s episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Jack Chew to discuss high value and low value care in field of physiotherapy, specifically, what a good physiotherapist looks like and what can be done to move the health system in the direction of better quality.

Jack Chew is founder of Chews Health in 2013 as a company for his clinical consultancy, offering second opinions to local sports clubs and teams whose therapists and coaches were struggling to mastermind the recovery of some of their key athletes. As his philosophy and methods spread across the Physio profession and MSK industry a consultancy network emerged and eventually Chews Health services were sought after enough to need a bespoke facility.

Alongside his role as managing director of Chews Health, Jack hosts The Physio Matters Podcast – a monthly show which goes out to over 20,000 therapists and is the director of MSKReform – a non-profit think-tank which is tasked with improving the industry to reduce the unjust variations in care standards.

CONNECT WITH JACK

• Twitter: @JackAChew
• Website: Chews Health website
• Website: MSKReform website
• Podcast: The Physio Matters Podcast

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!

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Osteoarthritis pain remains a large unmet clinical need. One common tool in the clinician’s armamentarium has been a steroid injection. They are widely used but recent evidence has questioned their efficacy for pain relief and potentially associated ongoing structural changes, including accelerating the underlying structural progression.

On this episode of Joint Action, we will hear from Ali Guermazi and Margreet Kloppenburg about the harms and benefits of steroid injections for osteoarthritis.

Dr. Margreet Kloppenburg, MD PhD, is Professor of Rheumatology in the Department of Rheumatology at the Leiden University Medical Center. She is a rheumatologist and epidemiologist. Since 2000 she is appointed both at the departments of Rheumatology and of Clinical Epidemiology of the LUMC. Her research interest includes osteoarthritis with focus on two topics, 1) unravelling underlying pathways in development and progression of osteoarthritis, aimed at inflammatory, metabolic and genetic mechanisms, and 2) optimization of methodology to measure osteoarthritis symptoms and signs, to enable development of disease modifying drugs. She is PI of several cohorts and randomized clinical trials in patients with osteoarthritis. She uses imaging modalities, as radiography, ultrasonography and MR imaging and basic science tools, including immunohistochemistry and metabolomics to characterize and study osteoarthritis patients. She has special interest for hand osteoarthritis. 

Dr. Guermazi is a French board-certified radiologist. Dr. Guermazi’s interest is musculoskeletal diseases, in particular note are his scientific contributions in the diagnosis and disease progression assessment of osteoarthritis using MRI. His work has focused on identifying structural risk factors for developing and worsening osteoarthritis. He has been involved in developing several original and widely accepted radiological methods to assess osteoarthritis disease risk and progression, including the WORMS, BLOKS and MOAKS for the knee, HOAMS for the hip and fixed-flexion radiography for measuring joint space width. Dr. Guermazi has been involved as an MRI reader for the past 14 years in several large U.S. studies. He is author of over 275 peer-reviewed publications and Investigator on numerous research grants related to MRI reading for Osteoarthritis

RESOURCES

Videos

• OA summit debate series on steroid injections - video recording
• More Research Needed to Determine Safety of Hip and Knee Steroid Injections

Journal articles

• Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections in the Hip and Knee: Perhaps Not as Safe as We Thought?
• Effects of Intensive Diet and Exercise on Knee Joint Loads, Inflammation, and Clinical Outcomes Among Overweight and Obese Adults With Knee OsteoarthritisThe IDEA Randomized Clinical Trial

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!

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The way in which people talk about their osteoarthritis is varied and this is reflected in their attitudes towards health and healthcare. This provides great insight into what the condition means to patients but ultimately how they are able to cope and manage their symptoms. For example, using terms such as “wear and tear” or “worn out” often discourages patients to be actively involved in the management of their condition. Dr Samantha Bunzli joins us on this week’s episode of Joint Action to discuss how osteoarthritis is talked about by patients and clinicians and how this ultimately affects behaviour and management choices.

Dr Bunzli is a physiotherapist who received her PhD in January 2016 from the School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University. In her PhD she developed methodological expertise in qualitative research and content expertise in health beliefs, behaviour and clinical communication. Dr Bunzli is currently a post doctoral researcher at the University of Melbourne, Department of Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital leading qualitative research within the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Total Joint Replacement: OPtimising oUtcomes, equity, cost effectiveness and patient Selection (OPUS).

RESOURCES

• Low back pain communication website

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!

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Orthobiologics such as platelet-rich-plasma, and stem cells have gained popularity as treatments for knee osteoarthritis over recent years. Orthobiologics are cells, blood components or growth factors which claim to promote healing and decrease inflammation. Platelet rich plasma and stem cell injections are an expensive treatment and there is a paucity of rigorous evidence to support the use of them in people with OA. On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Dr Brian Cole to unpack the controversial topic of osteoarthritis orthobiologics.

Dr. Brian Cole is an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and a Professor of Orthopaedics, Anatomy and Cell Biology at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Cole is Managing Partner of Midwest Orthopaedics and is the Department’s Associate Chairman and the Section Head of the Cartilage Research and Restoration Center. He is the Chairman of Surgery at Rush Oak Park Hospital and leads the Rush Orthopedic Master’s Program. Dr. Cole is the 2020 President of the Arthroscopy Association of North America.

Dr. Cole’s research interests include Cartilage Restoration, therapeutic biologics and regenerative medicine, and minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of the knee, elbow, and shoulder. He has published more than 1,000 articles and 8 textbooks on orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, has lectured nationally and internationally on more than 2,000 occasions and has appeared as an expert on several TV documentaries.

His professional career outside of academia includes serving as team physician for the Chicago Bulls, co-team physician for the Chicago White Sox, and a team physician for the Chicago Fire, Chicago Dogs, and DePaul University. He has served as co-host for 10 years on the radio talk-show Sports Medicine Weekly originally on ESPN and currently on 670TheScore – Chicago Sports Radio.

RESOURCES

• SCulPTOR study investigating stem cell injections in persons with knee osteoarthritis in Sydney, Australia and Hobart, Tasmania. For more information and to check your eligibility, check out the website.

CONNECT WITH BRIAN

• Twitter: @BrianColeMD
• Sports Medicine Weekly Podcast
• Website: https://www.briancolemd.com/

CONNECT WITH US

• Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.