ESCAPE-pain
E nabling
S elf-management and
C oping with
A rthritic
P ain using
E xercise
ESCAPE-pain is an award winning rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain that integrates simple education, self-management and coping strategies, with an exercise regimen individualised for each person. Participants in the six week programme have experienced improvements in physical function, general wellbeing, and quality of life – postponing the need for surgery and reducing healthcare economy costs.
ESCAPE-pain was developed by Professor Mike Hurley in London with support from the Health Innovation Network (the AHSN for South London) and was adopted as a case study in NICE’s Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention programme [2013], delivering the NICE core recommendations of exercise and education for the management of osteoarthritis.
Health Innovation North West Coast is introducing this programme throughout the North West Coast and we’re helping its spread in our region by employing a clinical champion and running courses for local physiotherapists and fitness instructors.
The first two organisations to implement ESCAPE-pain locally as part of this work are North West Boroughs Healthcare and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership.
“This is a course with lots of evidence to show that it works; people attend twice a week for six weeks of group sessions which include education, self management, coping strategies and personalised exercise routines.
“Our aim is to spread this programme into community settings and help more people to manage pain in hips and knees, so they can avoid surgery – and enjoy a more active lifestyle.”
Jen-Gilroy Cheetham, Health Innovation North West Coast Programme Manager