The role of leadership in implementing and sustaining an evidence-based intervention for osteoarthritis (ESCAPE-pain) in NHS physiotherapy services: a qualitative case study.

PURPOSE: To explore the role of leadership by physiotherapists in implementing and sustaining an evidence-based complex intervention (ESCAPE-pain) for osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative case study approach using in-depth interviews with 23 clinicians and managers from 4 National Health Service (NHS) physiotherapy providers in England between 2016 and 2017. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Different leadership roles and actions were characterised with four themes: (1) Clinical champions - clinicians driving the sustainability of ESCAPE-pain; (2) Supporters - junior clinicians directly supporting clinical champions' efforts to sustain ESCAPE-pain; (3) Senior Manager - clinical champions' senior managers influence on sustainability; (4) Decision-making - (in)formal processes underpinning decisions to (not) sustain the programme. CONCLUSIONS: The study characterises the role of leadership in physiotherapy to sustain an evidence-based intervention for osteoarthritis (OA) within the NHS. Sustaining the intervention required on-going leadership, it did not stop at implementation. Senior specialist physiotherapists (as Champions) had a critical leadership role in driving sustainability. Their structural position (bridging the operational and strategic) and personal attributes allowed them to integrate different levels of leadership (i.e., senior managers and operational staff) to mobilise the collective, on-going work required for sustaining the programme.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONSenior managers and clinicians in practice settings need to be aware that sustaining an intervention is an on-going, collective effort that continues post-implementation.Senior managers need to enable senior clinicians (who straddle strategic and operational functions) to have sufficient autonomy to access and mobilise resources and scope to restructure local systems and practice to support intervention sustainability.Operational staff need to be supported to have the practical know-how to deliver evidence-based intervention, which includes instilling the value of and a commitment for the interventions.Managers need to utilise dispersed leadership to empower and enthuse frontline clinicians to participate fully in the work to refine and sustain interventions, because it cannot be achieved by lone individuals.

Participants experience of the Joint Pain Advice in the workplace programme.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal (MSK) health is central to health, well-being, physical functioning and healthy ageing. It is a public health priority to help maintain and improve the MSK health of the population across the life-course. An important environment for supporting MSK health is the workplace. METHOD: A workplace Joint Pain Advice (JPA) service was piloted in 20 organisations of various sizes in Cornwall and London with 481 people accessing the service. A qualitative evaluation of the project was carried out in Cornwall with 24 JPA participants from 11 organisations taking part in interviews and focus groups. RESULTS: Participants valued the service, the impact it had had on their physical and mental health and well-being and its effects on the management of their MSK health in the workplace. The service served the unmet need for support to self-manage MSK pain and participants found its delivery in the workplace convenient and efficient. Participants reported changing the ways in which they performed their role in the workplace and taking actions to protect their MSK health and relieve their pain. JPA participants felt more willing and better able to talk about their MSK problems with their colleagues and managers and felt more 'empowered' to ask their manager about how to accommodate their MSK problems in the workplace. CONCLUSION: JPA in the workplace presents a model for delivering MSK services to businesses of all sizes which warrants further evaluation to measure its effect on absenteeism and presenteeism in small, medium-sized and larger organisations.

Influence of commissioning arrangements on implementing and sustaining a complex healthcare intervention (ESCAPE-pain) for osteoarthritis: a qualitative case study.

OBJECTIVES: Funding in health care has a critical impact on the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based interventions. This study explored the perspectives of physiotherapists on the influence of commissioning arrangements on the implementation and sustainability of a group rehabilitation programme for osteoarthritis (ESCAPE-pain). DESIGN: A qualitative case study approach using in-depth interviews. SETTING: National Health Service (NHS) musculoskeletal (MSK) outpatient departments in England. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty physiotherapists in clinical and senior management roles from 11 NHS MSK providers. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: (1) clinical perspectives of ESCAPE-pain - MSK services wanted to implement and sustain ESCAPE-pain because it provided evidence-based, quality care; (2) focusing on clinical activity over outcomes - commissioners were perceived as prioritising activity-based performance over delivering clinical outcomes; (3) rationing availability - patient access to ESCAPE-pain could be limited due to rationing resources; (4) absorbing costs - contracts did not always cover the activities associated with delivering ESCAPE-pain meaning that providers bore the costs; and (5) relationship between commissioners and providers - physiotherapists perceived a disconnect with commissioners and had little power to influence decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Commissioning arrangements for MSK physiotherapy services can impede providers from implementing and sustaining a clinically and cost-effective intervention. To be implemented and sustained, an intervention needs to integrate into clinical practice and the wider healthcare system. Commissioning arrangements for MSK physiotherapy need to allow providers the flexibility to deliver interventions that best meet the needs of their patients. The move to more strategic, integrated, outcome-based commissioning has the potential to facilitate the spread and sustainability of interventions.

Delivering NICE Joint Pain Advice in the workplace.

BACKGROUND: Chronic joint pain is extremely prevalent, but its impact can be mitigated if people receive self-management/lifestyle advice, especially about the importance of physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight. To reach the large number of people who needs support, we devised Joint Pain Advice (JPA), an intervention that can be delivered in a variety of health and community settings by a range of healthcare and non-healthcare professionals. Here we extend JPA delivery into workplace settings. METHOD: In each workplace, an advisor was trained to deliver JPA. This involved an initial assessment of participant's pain, musculoskeletal health and function (MSK-HQ), number of days/week active for >30 min, and physical function. Participants were taught simple self-management strategies, encouraged to adopt healthier lifestyles using motivational interviewing, goal-settings and personalised action/coping plans. Participants were reviewed three times over 6 months, baseline outcomes reassessed, progress highlighted, health messages reinforced and action plans revised, if necessary. RESULTS: Twenty large public organisations or small/medium enterprises delivered JPA to 481 people. Satisfaction with the service was high; people found it acceptable, valued advice tailored to their individual needs and experienced tangible benefits-MSK-HQ (9.5 points; CI 8.3 to 10.6), pain (-1.7; -2.2 to -1.7), physical function (-2.0; -2.2 to -1.7), activity levels and self-confidence improved, whilst absenteeism and healthcare utilisation reduced. CONCLUSION: Delivering advice about self-management for chronic knee, hip and back pain in workplace settings using local health promotion or occupational health professionals and is practicable, beneficial and valued. JPA could benefit small, medium and large employers.

Scaling-up an evidence-based intervention for osteoarthritis in real-world settings: a pragmatic evaluation using the RE-AIM framework.

BACKGROUND: Scaling-up and sustaining effective healthcare interventions is essential for improving healthcare; however, relatively little is known about these processes. In addition to quantitative experimental designs, we need approaches that use embedded, observational studies on practice-led, naturally occurring scale-up processes. There are also tensions between having adequately rigorous systems to monitor and evaluate scale-up well that are proportionate and pragmatic in practice. The study investigated the scale-up of an evidence-based complex intervention for knee and hip osteoarthritis (ESCAPE-pain) within 'real-world' settings by England's 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs). METHODS: A pragmatic evaluation of the scale-up of ESCAPE-pain using the RE-AIM framework to measure Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance. The evaluation used routine monitoring data collected from April 2014 to December 2018 as part of a national scale-up programme. RESULTS: Between 2014 and 2018, ESCAPE-pain was adopted by over 110 clinical and non-clinical sites reaching over 9000 people with osteoarthritis. The programme showed sustained clinical effectiveness (pain, function and quality of life) and high levels of adherence (78.5% completing 75% of the programme) within a range of real-world settings. Seven hundred seventy people (physiotherapists and exercise professionals) have been trained to deliver ESCAPE-pain, and 84.1% of sites have continued to deliver the programme post-implementation. CONCLUSIONS: ESCAPE-pain successfully moved from being an efficacious "research intervention" into an effective intervention within 'real-world' clinical and non-clinical community settings. However, scale-up has been a gradual process requiring on-going, dedicated resources over 5 years by a national network of Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs). Whilst the collection of monitoring and evaluation data is critical in understanding implementation and scale-up, there remain significant challenges in developing systems sufficiently rigorous, proportionate and locally acceptable.

The feasibility of increasing physical activity in care home residents: Active Residents in Care Homes (ARCH) programme.

OBJECTIVES: Maintaining physical activity for older residents in care homes maximises their physical and mental health and wellbeing, independence, dignity and quality of life. Unfortunately, most residents do not participate in regular physical activity. Active Residents in Care Homes, ARCH, was designed to increase physical activity by facilitating whole-system change in a care home. We evaluated whether ARCH can be delivered, its effects on resident's physical activity, wellbeing and costs. DESIGN: Feasibility study. SETTING: Three residential care homes. PARTICIPANTS: Care home residents and staff. INTERVENTION: Occupational and physiotherapists implemented ARCH over 4 months with an 8-month follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessment of Physical Activity, Pool Activity Level, EQ5D-5L, Dementia Care Mapping, cost of implementing ARCH, health and social care utilisation. RESULTS: After implementing ARCH, residents displayed more positive behaviours, better mood and engagement and higher physical activity levels, but these improvements were not sustained at 8-month follow-up. The cost (2016 prices) of implementing ARCH was £61,037, which equates to £1,650/resident. Healthcare utilisation was £295/resident (SD320) in the 4 months prior to ARCH, £308/resident (SD406) during the 4-month implementation and £676/resident (SD438) in the 8-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The ARCH programme can be delivered, it may have some short-term benefits and is affordable. Rather than have unrealistic increases in the health and longevity of older care home residents, ARCH may slow the decline in physical, mental and emotional well-being usually seen in older people in care homes, return some dignity and improve their quality of life in their last months or years.

Subgrouping and TargetEd Exercise pRogrammes for knee and hip OsteoArthritis (STEER OA): a systematic review update and individual participant data meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Therapeutic exercise is a recommended core treatment for people with knee and hip OA, however, the observed effect sizes for reducing pain and improving physical function are small to moderate. This may be due to insufficient targeting of exercise to subgroups of people who are most likely to respond and/or suboptimal content of exercise programmes. This study aims to identify: (1) subgroups of people with knee and hip OA that do/do not respond to therapeutic exercise and to different types of exercise and (2) mediators of the effect of therapeutic exercise for reducing pain and improving physical function. This will enable optimal targeting and refining the content of future exercise interventions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Systematic review and individual participant data meta-analyses. A previous comprehensive systematic review will be updated to identify randomised controlled trials that compare the effects of therapeutic exercise for people with knee and hip OA on pain and physical function to a non-exercise control. Lead authors of eligible trials will be invited to share individual participant data. Trial-level and participant-level characteristics (for baseline variables and outcomes) of included studies will be summarised. Meta-analyses will use a two-stage approach, where effect estimates are obtained for each trial and then synthesised using a random effects model (to account for heterogeneity). All analyses will be on an intention-to-treat principle and all summary meta-analysis estimates will be reported as standardised mean differences with 95% CI. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Research ethical or governance approval is exempt as no new data are being collected and no identifiable participant information will be shared. Findings will be disseminated via national and international conferences, publication in peer-reviewed journals and summaries posted on websites accessed by the public and clinicians. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42017054049.

Participants' experiences of an Education, self-management and upper extremity eXercise Training for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis programme (EXTRA).

BACKGROUND: The Education, self-management and upper extremity eXercise Training for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis programme (EXTRA) is an individualized, upper limb, home exercise regimen supplemented by four supervised, group sessions, a handbook and exercise dairy which improves upper extremity disability and self-efficacy. OBJECTIVE AND STUDY DESIGN: This qualitative interview study explored participants' experience of EXTRA to inform development and implementation of EXTRA into practice. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis who completed EXTRA were purposively sampled to include a range of ages, upper extremity disabilities, self-efficacy for arthritis self-management and attendance at EXTRA sessions. METHODS: Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a single researcher until data saturation of themes was reached. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Twelve participants (10 females; 32 to 87 years) were interviewed. Four overarching themes were identified: (i) empowering self-management; (ii) influence of others and (iii) the challenge of sustaining exercise, which resonate with the Social Cognition Theory, and (iv) refining EXTRA: consistent and personalised. CONCLUSIONS: EXTRA enhanced participants' confidence to manage their arthritis independently and was adaptable so it could be integrated with other life commitments. Whilst healthcare professionals, peers and family and friends influenced exercise uptake, sustaining exercise was challenging. Participants desired consistent and continuing contact with a familiar physiotherapist (e.g. via follow-up appointments, digital health technologies) which accommodated individual needs (e.g. different venues, session frequency). Implementation of EXTRA needs to appreciate and address these considerations to facilitate success.

Active Residents in Care Homes (ARCH): study protocol to investigate the implementation and outcomes of a whole-systems activity programme in residential care homes for older people.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness, acceptability and costs of Active Residents in Care Homes, ARCH - a programme aiming to increase opportunities for activity in older care home residents. DESIGN: Feasibility study. SETTING: Residential care homes for older people. PARTICIPANTS: 10-15 residents, staff and family members will be recruited in each of the three participating care homes. INTERVENTION: ARCH is a 12-month 'whole-systems' programme implemented by occupational therapists and physiotherapists. They will conduct a comprehensive assessment of each care home, considering the physical environment, working practices and organisation structure as well as residents' individual needs, and recommend ways to address barriers and increase residents' activity levels. The therapists will then work with staff to improve understanding of the issues, instigate training, environmental, organisational and working practice changes as necessary. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Residents' activity levels, health and quality of life will be tested using several measures to see which are practicable and appropriate for this population in this context. This includes: Assessment of Physical Activity in Frail Older People; Pool Activity Level Checklist; Dementia Care Mapping observations; and EQ-5D-5L. Residents will be assessed prior to programme implementation then 4- and 12-months post-implementation. Semi-structured interviews will explore the experiences of residents, staff, family members and therapists. CONCLUSIONS: Providing evidence of effectiveness and acceptability of ARCH, and documenting factors that impede/facilitate implementation will help us identify ways to enhance the care and quality of life of older people in residential care, and our understanding of how to implement them. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN24000891.

Exercise facilities for neurologically disabled populations - Perceptions from the fitness industry.

BACKGROUND: People with neurological disabilities (pwND) face many barriers to undertaking physical activity. One option for exercise alongside formal physiotherapy is local fitness facilities but accessibility is often found wanting and gyms are seen as unwelcoming to pwND. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the perceptions of fitness facility managers with respect to exercise for pwND in a gym environment. The aim was to identify potential barriers to provision by the fitness industry for pwND. METHODS: The participants included those who were in a position to influence provision at a policy level and those working at management level within fitness providers. A mixed methods approach was used: a quantitative questionnaire and 4 qualitative interviews. Descriptive and correlational analysis, thematic content analysis and concurrent triangulation analysis was undertaken. RESULTS: Specially trained staff is perceived to be necessary to make fitness facilities accessible for pwND. CONCLUSIONS: Ensuring the provision of specially trained staff to support pwND to exercise in gyms may be the main barrier to provision for this population. Investigation into the standard training of fitness professionals combining the expertise of neurological physiotherapists with that of fitness professionals to meet the needs of pwND would be advantageous.

Economic evaluation of a brief education, self-management and upper limb exercise training in people with rheumatoid arthritis (EXTRA) programme: a trial-based analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct a cost-utility analysis of the Education, Self-management and Upper Limb Exercise Training in People with RA (EXTRA) programme compared with usual care. METHODS: A within-trial incremental cost-utility analysis was conducted with 108 participants randomized to either the EXTRA programme (n = 52) or usual care (n = 56). A health care perspective was assumed for the primary analysis with a 36 week follow-up. Resource use information was collected on interventions, medication, primary and secondary care contacts, private health care and social care costs. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated from the EuroQol five-dimension three-level (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire responses at baseline, 12 and 36 weeks. RESULTS: Compared with usual care, total QALYs gained were higher in the EXTRA programme, leading to an increase of 0.0296 QALYs. The mean National Health Service (NHS) costs per participant were slightly higher in the EXTRA programme (by £82), resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £2770 per additional QALY gained. Thus the EXTRA programme was cost effective from an NHS perspective when assessed against the threshold of £20 000-£30 000/QALY gained. Overall, costs were lower in the EXTRA programme compared with usual care, suggesting it was the dominant treatment option from a societal perspective. At a willingness-to-pay of £20 000/QALY gained, there was a 65% probability that the EXTRA programme was the most cost-effective option. These results were robust to sensitivity analyses accounting for missing data, changing the cost perspective and removing cost outliers. CONCLUSION: The physiotherapist-led EXTRA programme represents a cost-effective use of resources compared with usual care and leads to lower health care costs and work absence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register; http://www.controlled-trials.com/isrctn/ (ISRCTN14268051).

Education, self-management, and upper extremity exercise training in people with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief supervised education, self-management, and global upper extremity exercise training program, supplementing a home exercise regimen, for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; the Education, Self-Management, and Upper Extremity Exercise Training in People with Rheumatoid Arthritis [EXTRA] program). METHODS: Adults with RA of ≤5 years' duration were randomized to receive either usual care or the EXTRA program comprising 4 (1-hour) group education, self-management, and global upper extremity exercise training sessions supplementing the first 2 weeks of a 12-week individualized, functional home exercise regimen in addition to usual care. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks (primary end point), and 36 weeks and included the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (primary outcome measure), the Grip Ability Test, handgrip strength (N), the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (pain, function, and symptoms subscales), and the 28-joint Disease Activity Score. RESULTS: One hundred eight participants (26 men, mean ± SD age 55 ± 15 years, mean ± SD disease duration 20 ± 19 months) were randomized to receive either usual care (n = 56) or the EXTRA program (n = 52). At 12 weeks, there was a significant between-group difference in the mean change in disability (-6.8 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) -12.6, -1.0]; P = 0.022), function (-3.0 [95% CI -5.0, -0.5]; P = 0.011), nondominant handgrip strength (31.3N [95% CI 9.8, 52.8]; P = 0.009), self-efficacy (10.5 [95% CI 1.6, 19.5]; P = 0.021 for pain and 9.3 [95% CI 0.5, 18.2]; P = 0.039 for symptoms), and disease activity (-0.7 [95% CI -1.4, 0.0]; P = 0.047), all favoring the EXTRA program. CONCLUSION: The EXTRA program improves upper extremity disability, function, handgrip strength, and self-efficacy in people with RA, with no adverse effects on disease activity.

Are patients meeting the updated physical activity guidelines? Physical activity participation, recommendation, and preferences among inner-city adults with rheumatic diseases.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) improves the health of people with rheumatic diseases. Revised guidelines (published in the United States in 2008 and in the United Kingdom in 2011) recommend that adults complete 150 or more minutes of moderate-intensity PA or 75 or more minutes of vigorous-intensity PA (or equivalent) in bouts of 10 or minutes per week, yet whether people with rheumatic diseases meet these guidelines is unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the PA levels of adults with rheumatic diseases attending an inner-city hospital against the updated PA guidelines. It assesses respondents' PA preferences and the proportion who report ever receiving PA advice from a healthcare professional (HCP). METHODS: Five hundred and eight patients (46% response rate) attending the general rheumatology clinics of an inner-city UK hospital completed the self-report International Physical Activity Questionnaire and 3 additional questions: "Has a doctor or other HCP ever suggested PA or exercise to help your arthritis or joint symptoms?" "Would you like help from your doctor or health service to become more physically active?" and "Which physical activities do you enjoy?" RESULTS: Overall, 61% of respondents met the updated PA guidelines, and 39% did not meet the guidelines. Forty-three percent of respondents reported ever receiving PA advice from an HCP, and 50% reported that they would "like help" to become more physically active. Walking was the most preferred PA (65%). CONCLUSIONS: Almost two-thirds of our respondents met the updated PA guidelines; however, many were entirely inactive. Recommending regular PA should be integral to rheumatic disease management, and walking offers a potentially accessible, inexpensive, and acceptable PA intervention.

Feasibility of an exercise-based rehabilitation programme for chronic hip pain.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hip pain is prevalent and disabling and has considerable consequences for the individual, and health and social care. Evidence-based guidelines recommend that patients with chronic hip pain benefit from exercise, but these guidelines are predominantly based on the efficacy of knee rehabilitation programmes. Studies investigating hip rehabilitation programmes suggest that these may not be feasible, citing issues with case identification. This study evaluated the feasibility of an exercise-based rehabilitation programme in a primary care hospital. METHODS: Forty-eight participants with chronic hip pain were randomly allocated to receive a five-week exercise and self-management programme or to continue under the management of their general practitioner (GP). Participants were assessed at baseline, six weeks and six months. Outcome measures included Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index physical function subscale, pain, objective functional performance, self-efficacy, anxiety and depression. RESULTS: This programme was feasible, well tolerated and easily implemented into a primary healthcare facility. Adherence to the programme was high (81% attendance). Immediately following rehabilitation, all outcomes measures improved (effect sizes 0.2-0.4), although these improvements diminished at six months. There were no differences between the groups (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An exercise-based rehabilitation programme was found to be feasible and well tolerated by people with chronic hip pain. The moderate effects in all outcomes immediately following rehabilitation suggested that it warrants further investigation. Issues with diagnosis and adaptations to the programme were identified and will be addressed in a randomized controlled trial.

Health beliefs before and after participation on an exercised-based rehabilitation programme for chronic knee pain: doing is believing.

BACKGROUND: To explore the health beliefs, experiences, treatment and expectations of people with chronic knee pain, and investigate if, how and why these change after taking part on an integrated exercise-based rehabilitation programme--Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritis knee Pain through Exercise, ESCAPE-knee pain. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people with chronic knee pain, before (n=29) and after (n=23) participation on the programme. Thematic analysis was used to document people's baseline health beliefs, attitudes and cognitions, and to see if how and why these changed after completing the programme. RESULTS: Initially people had poor understanding and negative, fatalistic beliefs about the management or prognosis for knee pain. Following the programme the majority of participants had positive experiences describing improvement in pain, physical and psychosocial functioning, greater knowledge and understanding of their condition and treatment options, and in their ability to use exercise to control symptoms. Beliefs about the causation and prognosis of knee pain were unchanged, but their concerns about possible dangers of exercise had decreased, they appreciated how exercise could reduce symptoms (treatment beliefs) and their confidence in their ability to use exercise to effect improvements (exercise self-efficacy) increased. These improvements were attributed to the content and structure of the programme, and the care and guidance of the physiotherapist. Several expressed a need for on-going support. CONCLUSIONS: ESCAPE-knee pain appears to achieve improvements by increasing people's treatment belief in safety and the utility of exercise to control symptoms, rather than alteration in their beliefs about causation or prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN94658828.

The effects of impaired joint position sense on the development and progression of pain and structural damage in knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Although cross-sectional studies have reported impaired proprioceptive acuity in people with osteoarthritis (OA), there have been no longitudinal studies to evaluate whether those with such impairments increase the risk of OA or its worsening. METHODS: We studied subjects from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study study, a longitudinal study of people with or at high risk of knee OA. At baseline, we quantified acuity as the amount of a subject's error when attempting to reproduce a test knee flexion angle (a measure of joint position sense). We tested proprioception 10 times in the right leg and used a person's worst score as their proprioceptive acuity. At baseline and the 30-month followup, we assessed the presence of frequent pain, obtained Western Ontario and McMasters Universities OA Index (WOMAC) scores, and acquired posteroanterior and lateral weight-bearing knee radiographs read for Kellgren/Lawrence grade and individual radiographic features. We examined the relation of baseline proprioceptive acuity in quartiles with baseline knee pain (frequent pain yes/no), WOMAC pain score, self-reported physical function, and radiographic OA, and with changes from baseline in pain, physical function, and radiographic OA adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and quadriceps strength. RESULTS: At baseline, proprioceptive acuity was associated with the presence and severity of knee pain but not with the presence of radiographic OA. However, among the 2,243 subjects with baseline acuity assessments and 30-month followup, there were no strong associations between proprioceptive acuity and development of adverse OA outcomes. Acuity was not significantly associated with the new onset of frequent knee pain. Those with the worst acuity at baseline had slightly greater worsening of WOMAC pain scores (0.47 on a 20-point scale) and physical function scores (by 1.5 points on a 0-68-point scale) compared with those with the best proprioceptive acuity, whose pain and physical function score deteriorated less (for pain P = 0.05; for physical function P = 0.02). Radiographic worsening was not significantly associated with proprioceptive acuity. CONCLUSION: Proprioceptive acuity as assessed by the accuracy of reproduction of the angle of knee flexion had modest effects on the trajectory of pain and physical functional limitation in knee OA.

Long-term clinical benefits and costs of an integrated rehabilitation programme compared with outpatient physiotherapy for chronic knee pain.

BACKGROUND: Chronic knee pain is a major cause of disability in the elderly. Management guidelines recommend exercise and self-management interventions as effective treatments. The authors previously described a rehabilitation programme integrating exercise and self-management [Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic knee Pain through Exercise (ESCAPE-knee pain)] that produced short-term improvements in pain and physical function, but sustaining these improvements is difficult. Moreover, the programme is untried in clinical environments, where it would ultimately be delivered. OBJECTIVES: To establish the feasibility of ESCAPE-knee pain and compare its clinical effectiveness and costs with outpatient physiotherapy. DESIGN: Pragmatic, randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient physiotherapy department and community centre. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-four people with chronic knee pain. INTERVENTIONS: Outpatient physiotherapy compared with ESCAPE-knee pain. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was physical function assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Secondary outcomes included pain, objective functional performance, anxiety, depression, exercise-related health beliefs and healthcare utilisation. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and 12 months after completing the interventions (primary endpoint). ANCOVA investigated between-group differences. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated similar improvements in clinical outcomes. Outpatient physiotherapy cost pound 130 per person and the healthcare utilisation costs of participants over 1 year were pound 583. The ESCAPE-knee pain programme cost pound 64 per person and the healthcare utilisation costs of participants over 1 year were pound 320. CONCLUSIONS: ESCAPE-knee pain can be delivered as a community-based integrated rehabilitation programme for people with chronic knee pain. Both ESCAPE-knee pain and outpatient physiotherapy produced sustained physical and psychosocial benefits, but ESCAPE-knee pain cost less and was more cost-effective.