Episode 48: Improving musculoskeletal and general health in chronic conditions and injured populations
University of LimerickShow Notes
Up to 45% of us will get knee osteoarthritis in our lifetime, yet it is often not prioritised, people with joint disease are being under-served in terms of delivery of evidence-based rehabilitation in the form of exercise and education, particularly for hip and knee osteoarthritis. Evidence suggests that exercise and education is very effective for people with osteoarthritis but often patients feel like they are directed more towards medications and surgical opinions, sometimes due to lack of available services. The GLA:D programme is a group-based programme that aims to aid these patients and improve their general health through exercise and education.
Dr. Clodagh Toomey, Research Fellow, at the School of Allied Health, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences and winner of the Presidents Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Starting Award 2023 discusses her research and her group’s implementation of the GLAS:D programme with collaborators, Ian Dowling, a Chartered Physiotherapist working in private practice from his clinic based in Raheen, Limerick, Ian retired from professional rugby after suffering a hip injury while playing for Munster. Also joining is Stacey Grealis, who lives with Rheumatic Muscular Disease and is a patient researcher and patient contributor on numerous research projects in this field.
Recorded by GKMedia.ie
More from University of Limerick
Associate Professor Triona Mc Caffrey, joint winner of the Presidents Research Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Starting Award 2025
Associate Professor, Bar Mosevitzky Lis, President's Research Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Starting Award Winner 2025
Professor Karen Mc Creesh, President's Research Excellence and Impact, Early Career Researcher Consolidator Award Winner 2025
The European Centre for the Study of Hate is an interdisciplinary research hub committed to deepening our understanding of hate in all its manifestations
Established in 2019 through funding received from the Health Research Institute in UL, the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre is, the first of its kind in Ireland, with a vision is to become “World Leaders in physical activity research that demonstrates real-world impact in policy and practice”. In this episode Professor Catherine Woods, Director of PAfH Research Centre, Health Research Institute, and the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, UL. Professor James Green, PAfH core member, School of Allied Health, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, UL are joined by Michael Barry and Micheal Lynch, both who live locally and have been long time attendees of a community-based exercise programme for people living with a chronic condition run in UL. This programme, named ULMedX, was designed and is run by the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre. The Research centre is continuing to build an international hub of excellence in the area of physical activity and health research, key to this is a multidisciplinary approach that includes physiologists, sports and exercise scientists, physiotherapists, and health, sports and exercise psychologists.