New community ideas for bone and joint health
13 July 2003
Tai chi lessons, special fitness programmes for young people, and practical suggestions for people who work on the land are among 1.5 million dollars worth of innovative projects to combat bone and joint disease in the Australian community.
The Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson, said the Commonwealth Government would fund 27 projects through the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions Improvement Grants Programme.
'This programme is designed to provide local communities with funding to trial innovative ways of preventing and managing musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis,' Senator Patterson said.
Osteoporosis is a progressive thinning of bones that often occurs with ageing, making bones brittle and more likely to fracture. It is estimated that after the age of 60 more than 50 per cent of women and around 30 per cent of men will suffer a fracture because of osteoporosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis results from an impairment of the immune system whereby the immune system attacks the joint tissues leading to recurring and often severe inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis also involves inflammation of the joints, however, this inflammation is a result of injury or wear and tear on the joints. It is estimated that more than 1.3 million Australians suffer from osteoarthritis.
The projects announced by the Government have a strong emphasis on the better practical management of arthritis and osteoporosis. It is hoped they will point the way to solutions that can be applied more widely in other communities. Some areas to be addressed by the projects include:
- reducing the impact of osteoarthritis in farming people by providing practical ways in which people who work on the land can manage their condition and maintain their work and lifestyle;
- improving the fitness of students with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) through innovative health and physical education curriculum development;
- the use of tai chi to improve joint and bone strength in individuals in rural communities;
- evaluation of a simple guideline for the prevention of hip fractures in aged-care residents; and
- developing arthritis self-management in urban indigenous communities.
Last Reviewed: 14 July 2003
