Big improvements in walking
Colleen's story
Colleen, 84, is a retired nurse, who has suffered knee pain for many years. The pain made normal daily activities, like walking to the shops and taking a bath extremely difficult. About a year ago, Colleen’s pain increased so much that she was unable to climb the stairs.
She went to her GP, who referred her to an orthopaedic surgeon for a knee replacement. She was reluctant to have surgery and returned to her GP. She was subsequently referred by her GP to her local leisure centre as part of the ‘Exercise on Referral’ scheme. After an assessment by an Exercise Instructor, Colleen was offered a place on the ESCAPE-pain programme. Upon completing the programme, Colleen noticed big improvements in her walking.
She is able to climb stairs again, feels more confident and “much better in myself because I can do things again”. The programme taught Colleen how to manage her condition – and she’s determined to continue to do the exercises she learnt through ESCAPE-pain.
“I’m going to continue, I know that.“
Tell us your story
Musculoskeletal conditions can often be invisible. Our goal is to be the voice for those who feel their story needs to be heard. We collect and publicise stories of individuals who share their experiences of dealing with bone, joint and muscle related conditions.
If you wish to share your story or that of a loved one affected by orthopaedic conditions, we would love to hear from you at patients@oruk.org.
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