gla:d hip and knee program

What is the GLA:D Hip and Knee Program?

GLA:D, stands for ‘Good Life with Arthritis: Denmark’. GLA:D is an education and exercise program developed by researchers in Denmark for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA). Flexout Health was one of the first clinics in Australia accredited in this revolutionary new program and is excited to be offering it to the wider community.

The GLA:D Hip and Knee Program includes both education and exercise classes, which can be applied to everyday activities, ensuring participants develop skills to self-manage their osteoarthritis. By strengthening and improving confidence with exercise, participants develop better capacity to become or stay active to prevent symptom progression and reduce pain.

What conditions can the program help with?

The GLA:D Hip and Knee Program is designed for all individuals who experience any hip and/or knee osteoarthritis symptoms, regardless of severity. Reasons to participate include:

If you are on a waiting list for a hip or knee joint replacement
If you have been told you may need a hip or knee replacement but are hoping to avoid surgery
If you do not know how to exercise or find it hard to motivate yourself
If you have tried exercise before but it didn’t work, you may benefit from a supervised exercise program
If you worry that exercise may worsen your condition

What does the program involve?

An initial consultation with a trained GLA:D therapist to explain the program and assess for suitability
Two education sessions
Twelve exercise sessions which can be completed as part of a supervised group or from the comfort of your own home, with the support of a physiotherapist
A follow-up consultation to review the program and discuss ongoing management

FAQs

What are the terms of payment for class passes?

Once you attend your first class, the pass is activated and subject to the relevant expiry date.
Except under extenuating circumstances, no refunds, transfers, suspensions or extensions are offered on unused portions of the class passes due to illness, injury or any other reason. If you wish to apply for pause under extenuating circumstances, please complete this form.
Class passes are only redeemable for the specified class for which they were purchased for.
Your redeemable receipt will be provided at the completion of the specified number of sessions on the pass detailing exact dates attended. You can then claim this directly from your private health fund (if applicable).

What training have the physiotherapists’ undertaken to become an accredited GLA:D training provider?

Physiotherapists interested in GLA:D undertake training which gives them the requisite skills to diagnose OA and deliver OA care as described in the clinical guidelines. On successful completion of the course, physiotherapists educated in GLA:D are obliged to follow the principles of GLA:D and contribute data to the national GLA:D registry

How do I get started?

Anyone wishing to commence the GLA:D Hip and Knee Program for the first time is required to register for an initial assessment to determine suitability. During the initial assessment your physiotherapist will undertake a detailed history and design your personalised program based upon your needs, goals and injuries. Fill out the form below to register your interest.

What are the benefits of the program?

Research from the GLA:D Program in Australia found a 30% reduction in pain, and 50% reduction in use of painkillers. It has also been shown to maintain muscle strength around affected joints, reduce joint stiffness, prevent functional decline, and improve quality of life. Importantly it can also delay or prevent the need for a joint replacement which has a significant risk on a person’s ability to maintain their independence and remain at home.

Is there a cancellation policy for classes?

All class reschedules or cancellations must be made prior to 8am on the day of your scheduled appointment. This updated policy will allow those on the waiting list to fill spots and will ensure our groups keep running smoothly. In addition to this a 100% cancellation fee for ‘fail to attend’ or reschedules made after 8am to scheduled classes applies.

Cancellation fees are applicable to all clients and are not claimable on your private health fund. If you are claiming your consultation fee through Medicare or WorkCover you will be required to self-pay your cancellation fee. The cancellation fee cannot be bulk billed. Further appointments will not be booked until the outstanding cancellation fee has been paid.

If you need to cancel your appointment:

VIA PHONE: Phone 1300 208 825 within business hours.
VIA EMAIL: Email admin@flexout.health your cancellation request, or hit reply to our email confirmation
VIA SMS: Please reply with “N” to our SMS message reminder, the day before your reply to our SMS reminder with “N”

*The cancellation policies for NDIS, My Aged Care, Work Cover, TAC, DVA, CTP, Pre-Employment Assessments services may differ. To confirm the cancellation policy for a specific service, please contact your nearest clinic. Repeated late cancellations or failure to attend without notice may result in your removal from our client list, or a requirement to pre-pay for appointments. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.