MOVEMENT Logic Physiotherapy in Coffs Harbour is a recipient of Healthy North Coast’s Primary Care $50,000 Impact Grant.
It will allow the organisation to provide an accessible and affordable multi-disciplinary program for people on the Coffs Coast with knee and hip osteoarthritis.
Primary Care Impact Grants are awarded to innovative, locally designed projects that support high quality care for people living with chronic and complex diseases across the region.
Called Joint Adventures, the program is tailored to individual needs, values and goals, and aims to help them feel more empowered and confident to manage their osteoarthritis and make well-informed decisions about their treatment options.
The program is run at the Wiigulga Sports Complex, Woolgoolga, and via telehealth by physiotherapists and dietitians.
Amanda Tutty, from Movement Logic Physiotherapy, said knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) are highly prevalent conditions that incur a large burden for individuals and health services.
“As our population grows older, heavier, and moves less, the prevalence of osteoarthritis is rising,” she said.
“By 2030, 3.1 million Australians will experience osteoarthritis, the majority of working age (25-64 years).
“Presently, one in three people aged over 50 suffer from knee pain”.
“There are many common misconceptions about osteoarthritis including that weight bearing activity and joint movement may cause further damage, when in fact evidence and clinical practice guidelines recommend that regular exercise is beneficial for reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
“Through exercise and education, our program aims to empower people with osteoarthritis to understand better and live well with their condition, as well as support them in decision making about their treatment options across their arthritis journey.”
Healthy North Coast CEO Monika Wheeler said the Primary Care Impact Grants are for projects that directly respond to the needs of local communities.
“If you’re a local health provider with an innovative idea for chronic disease prevention and management in your community, I’d encourage you to register your interest for our future grant rounds.”
Ms Wheeler said the response to the first round of the initiative has shown the depth of commitment from local health providers to improving care for their communities.
“This second round will give even more providers across the North Coast the chance to test and scale practical solutions that improve care and make it easier for people to stay healthy.”
By Andrea FERRARI
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
