Vitalis Physiotherapy, a ‘physiotherapist near me’, utilises the Knee OA PEAK Program (Knee Osteoarthritis) to:

The PEAK Program includes Physiotherapy Exercises and Physical Activity for Knee OA.

The program was designed by the University of Melbourne to be delivered via Telehealth over 5 sessions.

The aim of the program is to prevent you from requiring a knee replacement.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disorder that can affect any moveable joint of the body, for example knees, hips, and hands. It can display itself as a breakdown of tissues and abnormal changes to the cell structures of joints. It may be initiated by injury, that activate maladaptive repair responses. As the joint tries to repair, it can lead to other problems.

• Complex disorder of synovial joints, affecting all joint tissues.
• Clinical syndrome of joint pain, functional limitation, and impaired quality of life.
• Chronic disease with varying symptom severity.

What is the PEAK Program?

The program involves:

• Initial assessment to gauge your  current limitations and pain levels
• Education on Knee OA and the current evidence on best treatment practices
• Tailored exercise program to strength your muscles around the knee and lower limb
• Access provided to educational material and video of each exercise

There is strong evidence that exercise prescription for Knee OA is just effective as pain medication in the short to medium term.

What is the criteria?

The Criteria for the Peak Program is:

• age ≥45 years;
• activity-related knee joint pain;
• morning knee stiffness ≤ 30 mins;

You may also experience some of:

• report history of knee pain ≥ 3mths;
• report knee pain on most days of the past month;
• report an average pain score of at least 4/10 rating scale during walking over the previous week;
• report difficulty walking and climbing stairs;
• have access to a device with internet connection; and
• pass the Exercise and Sports Science Australia stage 1 pre-exercise screening questions.

What if I don’t meet the criteria?

If you do not meet the criteria then you will review with your GP to ensure you able to start the program.

Can the sessions be done in clinic?

While the program has been designed to be completed via Telehealth, just in time for COVID-19, it can also be done in person at our clinic.

Knee OA Symptoms:

Major risk factors for worsening pain / physical function: