Osteoarthritis · Epping
Osteoarthritis treatment in Epping.
Knee, hip, hand and spine arthritis. Exercise is the first line treatment in every guideline, ahead of injections and surgery, and it works best when it is prescribed and progressed. Accredited Exercise Physiologists, Medicare care plans accepted.
Unit 11, 58 Willandra Drive, Epping. Free parking. Mon to Fri 9am to 7pm.
Sound familiar?
How osteoarthritis usually shows up.
If a few of these ring true, you are in the right place. None of them mean something is badly wrong, and all of them respond to the right plan.
- Stiff for the first half hour every morning
- Stairs, kerbs and getting up from chairs are getting harder
- Walking distance has quietly shrunk
- You have been told it is 'bone on bone' and to wait for a replacement
- Anti-inflammatories are your daily routine
- You have stopped things you love because you thought you had to
Why it happens
What is usually going on.
Osteoarthritis is a whole joint condition, not just worn cartilage, and pain does not track closely with what an X-ray shows. Plenty of people with severe changes on imaging have little pain, and vice versa. What does predict pain and function is the strength of the muscles around the joint, body weight, activity levels and confidence.
That is why exercise works. Stronger muscles take load off the joint surface, movement keeps the joint nourished and mobile, and fitter people hurt less. Programs like GLA:D, built on this evidence, show meaningful improvements in pain and function and reduce the number of people going on to surgery.
What we do
Assess, plan, retest. Numbers, not guesswork.
Every plan at Integral Movement starts with measurement on our force plates and strength testing, ends with a written program, and is retested at six weeks. One clinician, start to finish.
01
Assess
Which joints, how they move, strength on the force plate, walking and stairs, and what you have stopped doing. We explain what osteoarthritis actually is.
02
Strengthen
A progressive program for the muscles around the affected joints plus general fitness, with our dietitian involved if weight is part of the picture.
03
Retest
Six week retest of strength and function. Regular reviews to keep progressing, and a report to your GP for care plan reviews.
What the research says
Evidence, in plain English.
We read the research so you do not have to. These are the findings that shape how we treat osteoarthritis. Ask us for the papers at your visit.
01
OARSI, ACR and RACGP guidelines all recommend exercise and education as core treatment for hip and knee osteoarthritis, before injections or surgery.
02
Structured education and exercise programs for osteoarthritis produce clinically meaningful pain reduction and functional improvement, with a proportion of participants deferring joint replacement.
03
Weight loss of even 5 to 10 percent significantly reduces knee osteoarthritis pain, and exercise plus dietary support achieves more than either alone.
Who you will see
Accredited Exercise Physiologists, not a rotating roster.
You see the same clinician start to finish. Brad Buisson and Dennis Belios lead the musculoskeletal and chronic condition work, with our dietitian and occupational therapist in the same clinic when the plan needs them. Meet the team →
Funding
Medicare care plans, NDIS, DVA, WorkCover, TAC.
With a GP Chronic Disease Management plan Medicare rebates up to five allied health visits a year. We are a registered NDIS provider and bill DVA, WorkCover and TAC directly for accepted claims. Not sure what applies? Call and we will work it out.
Epping and Melbourne's north
Osteoarthritis help close to home.
Integral Movement is at Unit 11, 58 Willandra Drive, Epping, between Cooper Street and Edgars Road near the Northern Hospital, with free parking at the door. We see people with osteoarthritis from Epping, South Morang, Mill Park, Wollert, Mernda, Lalor, Thomastown and across the City of Whittlesea. Home visits are available for NDIS, My Aged Care and DVA clients.
FAQ
Questions about osteoarthritis
Will exercise wear my joints out faster?
No. The evidence shows the opposite. Appropriately dosed exercise reduces pain and keeps joints healthier. Some soreness after sessions is normal and settles.
Can I use a Medicare care plan?
Yes. Osteoarthritis qualifies for a GP Chronic Disease Management plan with up to five allied health visits per calendar year.
I have been told I need a replacement. Is there any point?
Yes. A structured program is recommended before surgery is decided, and people who go into surgery stronger recover faster. Some find they can defer it.
Do you offer groups?
Small supervised group sessions are available for osteoarthritis and older adults and are often cheaper per session.
Do you help with hand or spinal arthritis too?
Yes. The principles are the same: mobility, strength and pacing, adapted to the joint.
Related
Often goes with it.
Knee pain
Stairs, chairs, kneeling and sport.
Hip pain
Groin, front of hip, deep ache, or stiffness getting out of the car.
Osteoporosis, falls and balance
Bone responds to load, and the right kind of strength and impact training is the most effective non drug treatment for low bone density.
Chronic and persistent pain
Pain that has lasted months or years, moved around, or never matched the scans.
Ready to get it sorted?
Unit 11, 58 Willandra Drive
Epping VIC 3076
ABN 73 674 529 241
Epping VIC 3076
ABN 73 674 529 241