1.  What is your organization’s interest in the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA)?

Movement is Life (MiL) is a multi-disciplinary coalition seeking to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in muscle and joint health by promoting physical mobility to improve quality of life among African Americans and Hispanic women. By promoting the importance of early intervention, we seek to slow musculoskeletal disease progression, reduce disability and encourage physical activity and daily movement to improve the overall health of the nation.

Like the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA), MiL understands the importance of community and individual engagement. Our sister site (www.startmovingstartliving.com) offers resources for community activists, patients, and healthcare providers who want to increase physical activity and overall health in their community.

Movement is Life also supports Operation Change which is a grassroots program that empowers community members to improve their overall wellness through a 3-pronged approach: interactive health presentations targeted to women of color, group physical activity, and motivational interviewing to encourage long-term behavior change.

Movement is Life shares the OAAA’s commitment to improving the national visibility of joint pain from osteoarthritis and advocating for novel policy solutions.

2.  What do you think is the most important issue today related to osteoarthritis?

Movement is Life believes in a comprehensive approach to addressing musculoskeletal health disparities at all levels (patient, healthcare provider, community, and policy). Currently, the national policy level discussions concerning access to care and health equity are the most critical issues related to osteoarthritis care. Medicare’s Comprehensive Care Joint Replacement bundle payment model discourages surgeons and hospital systems from caring for more medically complex patients. These complex patients are usually obese with multiple comorbidities and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. We believe these cases of “cherry picking” and “lemon dropping” will further exacerbate current disparities in musculoskeletal care.

3. How does your organization’s work connect to issues in osteoarthritis?

In most cases, joint pain is the first harbinger of knee osteoarthritis. It is also one of the gate ways into the vicious cycle. Limited mobility due to joint pain from osteoarthritis has a dramatic impact on co-morbid health conditions to include obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Obesity increases the pressure on the knee joints worsening the patient’s knee pain. According to Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, being only 10 pounds overweight increases the force across the knee by 30-60 pounds with each step! It truly is a vicious cycle that we are disrupting through community education and engagement and healthcare advocacy.

4. What is a headline you’d like to see about osteoarthritis in five years?

Rates of arthritis-related disability plummet in the US as African American and Hispanic women lead the way by increasing physical activity in and around their communities!

5. What is one interesting fact you’d like people to know about your organization?

We host an annual National Caucus on Arthritis & Musculoskeletal Health Disparities in Washington, DC on November 9-10, 2017. There is no registration fee and it is an excellent opportunity to network with others who are passionate about improving musculoskeletal care and health equity in the United States. Visit our website at http://www.movementislifecaucus.com/ for more information!