Activity with Arthritis (AWA)

Don’t let arthritis hold you back. Our ten-week Activity With Arthritis programme provides practical coping strategies, exercise options, nutrition advice and so much more.
Over ten weeks you’ll receive:
- Education about arthritis and what helps
- Weekly exercise classes
- Support for self-management
- Practical coping strategies
- Nutrition advice
- Multidisciplinary team support.
Staying active is the first line of treatment
Research shows that hip and knee osteoarthritis sufferers who take part in supervised exercise and education programmes benefit from reduced pain, improved physical function, more physical activity and better quality of life. The reliance on painkillers and sick leave is also reduced. And, the exercise also positively affects other chronic diseases and improves general health and wellbeing.

1. Skou, S., and Roos, E. (2017). Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark (GLA:D™): evidence-based education and supervised neuromuscular exercise delivered by certified physiotherapists nationwide. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 18:72 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-017-1439-y
2. Juhl C, Christensen R, Roos EM, Zhang W, Lund H. Impact of exercise type and dose on pain and disability in knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66:622–36
3. Pedersen BK, Saltin B. Exercise as medicine – evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015;25 Suppl 3:1–72
4. Hoffmann TC, Maher CG, Briffa T, Sherrington C, Bennell K, Alison J, et al. Prescribing exercise interventions for patients with chronic conditions. CMAJ. 2016;188:510–8