Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, has championed Nuffield Health’s free-to-access programme in Milton Keynes for people living with chronic joint pain.
The 12-week programme, which is led by Rehabilitation Specialists, has been designed to help people to self-manage chronic joint pain.
Almost a third of people in the UK (32%, or 20.3m) are living with a musculoskeletal condition such, with an estimated 9.6m people reportedly living with a long-term MSK condition such as arthritis or chronic back pain. These conditions also place a huge strain on health services, accounting for one in seven GP appointments, with an estimated 23.3m working days lost due to MSK in 2021, according to the latest national data from Versus Arthritis.
Following a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme was relaunched in the Milton Keynes Fitness and Wellbeing Gym last year.
Across the UK almost 6,000 people took part in the programme in 2022, with seven in ten (69%) reporting clinically significant improvements in their condition by week 12. Additionally, of those that were out of employment at the beginning of the programme, 30% said they felt able to return to the workforce by the end.
Having seen the programme in action, Ben Everitt MP said: "It was fantastic to hear about the experiences of so many different people who have benefitted from the chronic joint pain programme. Listening to the personal stories on how it had improved their lives was really eye-opening."
Tanya, who recently completed the programme, spoke about the positive impact it has had on their life: “My back, hips and knees had been getting increasingly painful, and the team at Nuffield Health were exceptionally understanding and accommodating. There has been a massive improvement in pain levels, flexibility, stability, strength and also overall energy levels. And I feel six inches taller – so thank you to the Nuffield Health Joint Pain Programme for all of these amazing gains!”
Fern Adams, Rehabilitation Specialist at the Milton Keynes Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Centre, said: “Living with joint pain can be debilitating, and unfortunately, we know that it affects many people living in Milton Keynes. Our programme equips people with the knowledge and practical experiences to better manage pain in the long term.
“If anyone is living with long-term joint or back pain, I’d really encourage them to get in touch and see whether this programme is right for them. It’s open to anyone and is completely free.”
The programme follows a group format, with an average of 10 participants, and consist of twice weekly sessions. These include education workshops and exercise classes to help reduce pain and increase mobility, as well as providing the tools to support mental health and understand more about joint pain. The programme is free to access and open to anyone living with chronic joint pain.
