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GLA:D to have a high-value option for patients with knee and hip arthritis across four continents: Good Life with osteoArthritis from Denmark
  1. Ewa M Roos1,
  2. Christian J Barton2,3,
  3. Aileen M Davis4,5,
  4. Rhona McGlasson6,
  5. Joanne L Kemp3,
  6. Kay M Crossley3,
  7. Qiang Liu7,
  8. Jianhao Lin7,
  9. Søren T Skou1,8
  1. 1 Research Unit for Musculoskeletal Function and Physiotherapy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
  2. 2 University of Melbourne Department of Surgery, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Australia
  3. 3 LaTrobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, School of Allied Health,College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
  4. 4 Department of Physical Therapy, Institute of Health Policy, Managementand Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
  5. 5 Health Care and Outcomes Research, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
  6. 6 Bone and Joint Canada, Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation, Toronto, Canada
  7. 7 Arthritis Clinic and Research Center, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
  8. 8 Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Næstved-Slagelse-Ringsted Hospitals, Slagelse, Denmark
  1. Correspondence to Ewa M Roos, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark; eroos{at}health.sdu.dk

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What is the problem?

We know that we should be providing patient education, exercise and weight management for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis, but do we know what to do? GLA:D may provide an answer, and train clinicians worldwide to deliver high-value treatments.

What is the GLA:D programme?

GLA:D is a new evidence-based solution in the toolbox for clinicians who manage middle-aged and older people with painful knees and hips. The programme is a not-for-profit initiative hosted by the University of Southern Denmark, and has a registered trademark to help maintain programme quality. GLA:D provides an effective, high-value alternative to current standard of care in patients not needing total joint replacement: prescription of pain killers and low-value referral (imaging and knee arthroscopy).1

GLA:D is a standardised, but individualised, treatment consisting of 2 patient education sessions and 12 neuromuscular exercise therapy sessions.2 All sessions are group-based and supervised by a certified clinician with expertise in osteoarthritis and exercise therapy. GLA:D is most commonly provided by a physiotherapist, but can be provided by other health practitioners if required by the healthcare system of the specific country or region.

GLA:D in Denmark

After 3 years of unsuccessful discussions with …

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