Your Hips and Knees will be GLA:D

The Snowy Mountains community stays active year‑round — runners, skiers, tradies, farmers and weekend hikers all rely on their bodies to keep moving. With that comes a steady stream of knee and hip pain, especially as people try to stay mobile without letting osteoarthritis slow them down. One program is now reshaping joint‑health care across Australia: GLA:D. (Good Life with osteoArthritis: Denmark). 

GLA:D has become the leading evidence‑based approach for managing osteoarthritis before surgery is even considered. National data shows that more than 80% of orthopaedic surgeons want patients to complete the program before joint replacement, marking a major shift away from the old “wait until it’s bad enough” model. The outcomes are compelling: participants report an average 30% reduction in pain, 20–30% improvement in function, and nearly one in three delay or avoid surgery altogether. For many, it’s the first time they’ve been given a structured pathway that teaches them how to move confidently again.

This shift is especially important for our region. Monaro Physio will be launching the GLA:D program in the coming months, becoming the only accredited clinic in the entire South East district offering it — covering Cooma, Jindabyne, Bombala, Bega Valley, Queanbeyan–Palerang and surrounding communities. Until now, people often had to travel to Canberra or Queanbeyan to access GLA:D, a major barrier for older adults, shift workers and anyone juggling family life. Local access means earlier intervention, better continuity of care and group‑based support that keeps people progressing.

The principles behind GLA:D Load should be shared, not dumped into one joint. The program teaches people how to use their hips, torso and legs in a coordinated way that reduces pressure on painful knees and hips. It focuses on hip and knee control, strengthening key support muscles, building confidence in movement and gradual load progression. Instead of bracing or clenching, people learn to move naturally and efficiently — often discovering they can do far more than they expected.

Across Australia, GLA:D participants consistently report less pain, improved walking speed, better stair climbing, reduced reliance on medication and higher quality‑of‑life scores at three, six and twelve months. For rural communities, where joint pain often goes untreated for too long, these outcomes are transformative.

Monaro Physio will begin running GLA:D classes soon, and we are now taking names for our wish list. Starting the program isn’t just about managing pain — it’s about reclaiming movement, delaying surgery and restoring confidence in your body. With orthopaedic surgeons increasingly requiring GLA:D before joint replacement, and with Monaro Physio becoming the only accredited provider in the South East, this marks a turning point in joint‑health care for our region.