GLA:D Program

Watsonia Physiotherapy is proud to provide the GLA:D Program, an international initiative aiming to decrease pain and dysfunction associated with knee and hip osteoarthritis.

What does it involve?

A combined treatment program consisting of 6, 2x per week supervised group exercises using a ‘neuromuscular exercise’ approach by a physiotherapist, and 2 education sessions to understand the nature of your condition and about the treatment approach.

The education and exercise program reflect the latest evidence in osteoarthritis research. With patient consent, your clinical information and pain outcomes can be logged onto the international database to allow for further research and funding for the program in the future.

Who is it targeted towards?

Individuals who have a clinical diagnosis of either hip or knee osteoarthritis of variable degrees.

Why exercise, if surgery is perhaps the next option?

Current clinical guidelines for lower limb osteoarthritis recommend exercise therapy, education and weight loss as a first-line treatment for patients who present with osteoarthritis symptoms.

We let the results speak for themselves. Participants 12 months after they completed the GLA:D program showed that on average, the program resulted in:

• Less pain
• Improved quality of life
• Reduced use of joint related pain medication
• Increased physical activity
• Symptom progression reduces by 1/3

If you, or someone you know, is looking to go under the knife for their hip or knee pain, it may be a good idea to assess eligibility for the 6-week program if it can possibly lead to the avoidance of a joint replacement.

If you are curious to know more, please speak to one of our physiotherapists who can guide you in the right direction to managing your knee pain for the long term.