From Research to Practice: Patients Getting a Grip on Arthritis Workshop

What happens to arthritis research, you might ask, after it has been published? We hope that the knowledge is disseminated and the new evidence benefits people with arthritis. Unfortunately, most often it is published and forgotten. One research project that caught CAPA members’ attention was the recent People Getting a Grip on Arthritis Workshop held in Ottawa on October 27 to 29, 2006. Several CAPA members participated in what is essentially still a research project, one that hopefully becomes a practical self–management tool.

Thirty-five influential arthritis patients from different organizations attended the first workshop; it was divided into sessions and in each session, an expert taught a self-management technique. Examples of some of the techniques covered are as follows:

• The Self-management of Osteoarthritis (OA) & Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
• An Introduction to People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE) Canada’s healthy living module
• Low Intensity Whole Body Strengthening Program for RA.
• Tai Chi for RA
• Weight Management for OA
• Insoles and Footwear for RA & OA
• TENS for Knee Pain in OA
• Aerobic Walking Program for OA
• Implementing and Communicating Self-management Strategies

All these self-management techniques were found to be best evidence based treatments for either RA or OA of the knee.

Out of the 35 participants who attended, seven were chosen to teach these techniques to a new group of 35 Ottawa-area arthritis patients two days later. On the following day, these seven patients practiced the technique they would be required to teach the next day. Comments from the Ottawa-area patients included appreciation to those who gave their time and taught at the workshops, and the event was heralded a success.

People Getting a Grip on Arthritis is part of a research project funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Lucie Brosseau of the University of Ottawa, Sydney Lineker of The Arthritis Society, and Dr. Mary Bell of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, are the Principal Investigators. For more information about this ongoing research project, please see: [Home](What happens to arthritis research, you might ask, after it has been published? We hope that the knowledge is disseminated and the new evidence benefits people with arthritis. Unfortunately, most often it is published and forgotten. One research project that caught CAPA members’ attention was the recent People Getting a Grip on Arthritis Workshop held in Ottawa on October 27 to 29, 2006. Several CAPA members participated in what is essentially still a research project, one that hopefully becomes a practical self–management tool.

Thirty-five influential arthritis patients from different organizations attended the first workshop; it was divided into sessions and in each session, an expert taught a self-management technique. Examples of some of the techniques covered are as follows:

The Self-management of Osteoarthritis (OA) & Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) An Introduction to People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE) Canada’s healthy living module Low Intensity Whole Body Strengthening Program for RA. Tai Chi for RA Weight Management for OA Insoles and Footwear for RA & OA TENS for Knee Pain in OA Aerobic Walking Program for OA Implementing and Communicating Self-management Strategies
All these self-management techniques were found to be best evidence based treatments for either RA or OA of the knee.

Out of the 35 participants who attended, seven were chosen to teach these techniques to a new group of 35 Ottawa-area arthritis patients two days later. On the following day, these seven patients practiced the technique they would be required to teach the next day. Comments from the Ottawa-area patients included appreciation to those who gave their time and taught at the workshops, and the event was heralded a success.

People Getting a Grip on Arthritis is part of a research project funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Lucie Brosseau of the University of Ottawa, Sydney Lineker of The Arthritis Society, and Dr. Mary Bell of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, are the Principal Investigators. For more information about this ongoing research project, please see: [Home](What happens to arthritis research, you might ask, after it has been published? We hope that the knowledge is disseminated and the new evidence benefits people with arthritis. Unfortunately, most often it is published and forgotten. One research project that caught CAPA members’ attention was the recent People Getting a Grip on Arthritis Workshop held in Ottawa on October 27 to 29, 2006. Several CAPA members participated in what is essentially still a research project, one that hopefully becomes a practical self–management tool.

Thirty-five influential arthritis patients from different organizations attended the first workshop; it was divided into sessions and in each session, an expert taught a self-management technique. Examples of some of the techniques covered are as follows:

The Self-management of Osteoarthritis (OA) & Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) An Introduction to People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE) Canada’s healthy living module Low Intensity Whole Body Strengthening Program for RA. Tai Chi for RA Weight Management for OA Insoles and Footwear for RA & OA TENS for Knee Pain in OA Aerobic Walking Program for OA Implementing and Communicating Self-management Strategies
All these self-management techniques were found to be best evidence based treatments for either RA or OA of the knee.

Out of the 35 participants who attended, seven were chosen to teach these techniques to a new group of 35 Ottawa-area arthritis patients two days later. On the following day, these seven patients practiced the technique they would be required to teach the next day. Comments from the Ottawa-area patients included appreciation to those who gave their time and taught at the workshops, and the event was heralded a success.

People Getting a Grip on Arthritis is part of a research project funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Lucie Brosseau of the University of Ottawa, Sydney Lineker of The Arthritis Society, and Dr. Mary Bell of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, are the Principal Investigators. For more information about this ongoing research project, please see: Home