Allied Health Warrior logo
Memberships
Contact Us

Rethinking Osteoarthritis

Categories: Webinar Series
Wishlist Share

Course Info

Your patient has been told their joint is “worn out”. They are worried about exercise and want to know what they can do next. These are the conversations this series is built around.

Rethinking Osteoarthritis is a five-part Allied Health Warrior webinar series covering care for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis. It takes you through the decisions you face in practice, from assessment and explaining a diagnosis to planning exercise, supporting lifestyle changes and discussing treatment options. It also explores when to consider surgical referral and how to support patients before and after surgery.

The series draws on the Osteoarthritis of the Knee Clinical Care Standard (2024) and supporting research. Clinicians from allied health, nursing and medicine share practical approaches and explain how their roles fit together.

Designed for physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists, dietitians and nurses, the series is suitable for new graduates through to experienced clinicians.

Attend the sessions most relevant to your work, or follow all five from first assessment to ongoing care.

Sessions are delivered live and recorded for on-demand access.

Certificates of completion are provided for CPD tracking.

Show More

What Will You Learn?

  • Part One: Understand how osteoarthritis is assessed, when scans are needed and how to explain the diagnosis clearly.
  • Part Two: Learn how to plan and adjust exercise to suit a patient’s pain, ability and goals.
  • Part Three: Learn practical ways to help patients fit advice about food, weight and movement into everyday life.
  • Part Four: Understand the evidence, possible benefits and risks of medicines, injections and other treatment options.
  • Part Five: Recognise when surgical referral may be appropriate and how to support patients before and after surgery.

Course Content

Part One: Osteoarthritis, Reframed
Understanding Osteoarthritis, Assessment and Care A patient arrives with a scan report and a worrying explanation of what it means. How do you assess their symptoms, address their concerns and help them understand the next steps? Part One looks at how osteoarthritis affects people in Australia and where care can fall short. We cover the clinical signs of knee and hip osteoarthritis, when imaging is needed and which unusual symptoms or findings need further investigation. You’ll explore ways to explain scan results without adding to a patient’s fear about joint damage. The session also examines treatments that offer little or no benefit and what the evidence recommends instead. This opening session sets out how each profession contributes to care and when to involve other members of the health team.

  • Osteoarthritis Reframed: Burden, Clinical Diagnosis & Modern Models of Care
    59:12
  • Part One: Osteoarthritis, Reframed – Quiz

Part Two: Beyond “Some Exercise”
Education, Exercise and Daily Activity “Try some exercise” leaves a lot for a patient to work out. What should they do? How much? And what should change when their symptoms flare up? Part Two gets into the details of planning exercise for people with osteoarthritis. We explore how to talk about movement with patients who are worried about pain or joint damage, and how to build an exercise plan around their needs and goals. The session covers how often to exercise, how hard to work and when to increase or reduce the load. It also looks at what can make exercise difficult to start or keep doing. For clinicians who prescribe or support exercise, this session focuses on clear advice, practical planning and reviewing how the patient responds.

Part Three: Beyond the Diet Sheet
Nutrition, Weight Management and Behaviour Change Advice about food, weight and exercise still has to fit into everyday life. Pain, tiredness, low mood and busy routines can make changes hard to keep up. Part Three brings together a dietitian, exercise physiologist and occupational therapist to explore practical support for people with osteoarthritis. We look at nutrition, the evidence around inflammation, and how to discuss weight and health respectfully. The session covers ways to help patients turn advice into daily habits. This includes planning meals, pacing activities, managing energy and adapting tasks or equipment. It also explores ways to support regular exercise and work through barriers to change. The focus is on helping patients choose manageable steps that reflect their circumstances and what matters to them, with support from the wider health team.

Part Four: Second-Line, Not Second-Best
Medicines, Injections and Other Supports Your patient asks whether a medicine or injection is worth trying. How do you explain what it may offer, what the risks are and where the evidence is unclear? Part Four reviews common osteoarthritis medicines and injections, including paracetamol, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroid injections, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid injections. We examine the evidence for each and how to discuss the findings in plain language. The session also looks at pacing, changes to everyday tasks and surroundings, assistive equipment, and the evidence for hands-on treatments alongside exercise and daily activity. Clinicians from physiotherapy, occupational therapy and sports medicine bring their perspectives to these discussions. The focus is on helping you answer patient questions within your professional role and recognise when advice from a prescriber or another clinician is needed.

Part Five: Who Gets Referred, Who Doesn’t
Surgery, Recovery and Ongoing Care “Is it time for surgery?” is a question that needs a careful discussion. Patients also need a clear plan when surgery is not currently recommended. Part Five explores when to consider surgical referral and how to help patients understand their options. We look at symptoms, difficulty with daily activities, treatments already tried and the patient’s preferences, using the Clinical Care Standard to guide the discussion. An orthopaedic surgeon shares their perspective on surgical options, the evidence around joint replacement outcomes and what these mean for rehabilitation. Allied health input covers preparing for surgery, supporting recovery and planning ongoing care. The session brings the series together with a focus on decisions made with the patient, realistic expectations and a clear care plan, whether they continue with non-surgical treatment or prepare for surgery.

Student Ratings & Reviews

No Review Yet
No Review Yet

Want to receive push notifications for all major on-site activities?

✕