Resources for healthcare providers include pain communication tools, outcome measures for use in clinical care and patient education, and a review of guidelines for the management of OA.

Pharmacists

Researchers

Healthcare Providers

Exercise (land, water, and strength)

The recommended starting treatments for all patients with knee OA are land and water-based exercise, weight management, strength training, and self-management education.

Recommend an increase in general physical activity and perform physical performance measures to determine the physical function of your patients. Learn more about active living with OA and evidence-based physical activity programs in our resource library.

Self-management Education and Weight Management

Self-Management and Prevention Fact Sheet (handout for clinicians to share with patients)

Share our weight management brochures, and give them the link to the Arthritis Foundation Live Yes! Connect Groups in order to locate virtual or in-person groups.

Find a Rheumatologist

Evidence-based Program Resources for Clinicians

• OAAA Walk With Ease issue brief for Clinical Providers
• APTA Walk With Ease Fact Sheet for Clinical Providers
• Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services Prescription Pad
• Resource Guide with links to relevant community resources for patients RX Links
• FAIR Health: Help patients Make More Informed Decisions sharing the potential costs for various types of medical procedures.

Clinical Care Guidelines

• American College of Rheumatology (ACR)
  • 2019 Care Guidelines 
• Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI)
  • Physical Performance Measures – OARSI recommended set of physical performance measures for knee and hip osteoarthritis
  • Guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis
  • Outcome Measures – Pain indexes, radiological indexes, and ICOAP pain questionnaire

• Center for Enhancing Activity & Participation among Persons with Arthritis (ENACT): Tools for Practitioners – Tools for healthcare providers and researchers to use for clinical care, education, and research outcomes.

• American Chronic Pain Association
  • Communication Tools
  • Quality of Life Scale (Spanish-language version)
  • Living with Arthritis Ability Chart
  • Live Better with Pain log (available as pdf or downloadable app; Spanish-language version)

• A systematic review of recommendations and guidelines for the management of osteoarthritis: The chronic osteoarthritis management initiative of the U.S. bone and joint initiative. Nelson, et al., Semin Arthritis Rheum 2014 (abstract)

Walk With a Doc

You may also consider starting a “Walk with a Doc” chapter in your community. We have developed several briefs for the Walk with a Doc program online Walk Topics library under “Arthritis.” Walk leaders can download these briefs to share with their walkers. Learn more here!

Walk With a Doc Briefs

Walk with a Doc maintains an online “Walk Topics” library of mini-lectures, or lecturettes, that walk leaders everywhere can download and share with their walkers. These lecturettes are quick and easy to read and digest for people who have arthritis and healthcare providers, alike.

• Osteoarthritis: A Basic Overview
• Arthritis: Key Public Health Messages
• Arthritis and Walking
• Exercises to Prevent Falls
• Myths about Osteoarthritis