ESCAPE Pain

ESCAPE Pain is an education and exercise programme for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis and low back pain.

ESCAPE-pain is a rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain that integrates educational self-management and coping strategies with an exercise regimen individualised for each participant. It helps people understand their condition, teaches them simple things they can help themselves with, and takes them through a progressive exercise programme so they learn how to cope with pain better. 

Musculoskeletal-related pain has a major impact on individuals and society. In the United Kingdom, an estimated 9.3 million working days were lost to musculoskeletal (MSK) pain between 2008-2009 with back, neck, shoulder and knee pain being the most commonly reported MSK problems. MSK-related pain is the second most common reason for GP visits and accounts for approximately 20-30% of all GP consultations in the UK.

ESCAPE-pain stands for Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Pain using Exercise. It is an evidence-based, cost effective, rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain, that integrates educational self management and coping strategies with an exercise regimen individualised for each participant. 

Designed to benefit people with chronic knee or hip pain, otherwise known as osteoarthritis (OA). Chronic joint pain, joint stiffness and reduced physical function are the main symptoms associated with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is associated with age and obesity and with an ever ageing and obese population in the West, the socio-economic burden of OA is expected to rise in the future. Osteoarthritis affects at least 8.75 million people in the UK. This figure is set to double by the year 2030, due to an ageing population and increase in weight.

Low back pain affects around a third of adults in the UK each year, and about 9.11 million (16.9%) of these people in England are experiencing severe back pain. Over 70% of the population will experience a significant episode of back pain during their lives and it is the most common reason why middle-aged people visit their GP. The prevalence of back pain is increasing with an ageing and growing population. Back pain has a dramatic impact on individuals and society in general. It is the top cause of years lived with disability in the UK and is the second most common cause of time off work (after minor illness, such as colds, flu and sickness).

The ESCAPE-pain programme aims to increase physical function and improve quality of life.

The programme will not cure, nor eliminate pain completely. However, it aims to help people understand their condition better, and to realise that exercise is a safe and effective self-management strategy, that can be used to reduce pain, improve physical function, self-confidence, sense of being in control of problems, and the depression and frustration that is often felt with pain.

The programme focusses on promoting and progressing functional exercises that improve strength, balance, range and coordination, and get participants back to doing the physical activities they enjoy. It aims to show people that they can change their health beliefs and behaviours, in order to increase their levels of physical activity and control their symptoms and the course of their condition. 

ESCAPE-pain Online provides you with a structured education and exercise programme of 12 sessions over six weeks. The sessions include:

• Education – watch engaging animations and education videos to learn to manage your condition better.
• Exercise – choose between 16 high quality exercise videos to improve your joint pain.

If you think ESCAPE pain might be for you, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss this with you further.