Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group

Teamwork makes the dream work! 🤝👩🔬✨ Our wonderful team is working hard to improve the quality of life for people living with osteoarthritis 🦴🏃 Read below to find out more about our team and the work we do 👇

🏅 Huge Congratulations to Sarah! 🏃♀️🎉 After many early mornings, and countless kilometres, Sarah Kobayashi has officially crushed the Sydney marathon! Your determination is truly inspiring, and we’re all so proud of you for crossing that finish line! ✌🏻👟🔥

Meet the people behind the Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group! 🌟 This week we sat down with Kate Bryce from our team and asked her a couple of questions. Here's what she said 🎤😊

Meniscal tears affect approximately 12% of the population. They can occur as a result of acute trauma, such as a twisting injury or associated with #osteoarthritis in adults over the age of 40. Read more about meniscal tears in our team's JAMA publication at https://lnkd.in/gPAHaBJP

🌍 Today is World Physiotherapy Day! Did you know that within the Osteoarthritis Research Clinical Group, we have 7 team members with a physiotherapy background? 💪 Physiotherapists play a crucial role in the management of osteoarthritis (OA). In our research group, our physios wear many hats. From witnessing first-hand the impact OA has on people’s health and well-being, they have stepped into clinical research to lead the way in prevention and management strategies. Together with other allied health professionals and research experts, they help design and deliver high-quality, high-impact clinical trials that aim to improve the lives of people living with osteoarthritis. ✨ Today, we celebrate their contribution and the essential role of physiotherapy in prevention, management, and research. Tag or @ a physio who has made a positive impact in your life! To learn more about our fabulous team and the amazing work they do, check out our website: https://lnkd.in/gAjFBNQZ Vicky Duong Jillian Eyles Karen Schuck Emily Williamson Naomi Hurwitz Sarah Robbins

What puts us at risk of knee osteoarthritis? A new global systematic review and meta-analysis led by our researchers at the University of Sydney has some powerful answers, and it’s just been featured in the latest issue of InMotion, the official magazine of the Australian Physiotherapy Association 👏 Dr Vicky Duong (Kolling Institute, University of Sydney) and A/Prof Christina Abdel Shaheed (School of Public Health) conducted the largest-ever review of knee OA risk factors—drawing on data from 131 studies across 7 databases and 3 registries 🌏📚 🔍 Their key findings: ✅ Overweight/obesity, previous knee injury, and occupational physical activity (e.g. heavy manual work or >20 years of shift work) are linked to increased risk ✅ Higher bone mineral density in certain areas may also increase risk ✅ Lifestyle factors such as a Mediterranean diet, high-fibre intake, and even green tea (in men!) may lower your risk 📊 This research highlights how better preventive strategies and workplace health approaches could reduce the burden of knee OA—one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. 🙌 Big congratulations to Vicky and Christina for this important contribution to osteoarthritis research — and thank you to InMotion for helping promote their work! 📖 Read the full article in InMotion or access the study here: https://lnkd.in/gWWW5-uE @physioaustralia Vicky Duong Kolling Institute University of Sydney #Osteoarthritis #KneeOA #PublicHealth #Physiotherapy #InMotionMagazine #APA #UniversityOfSydney #ResearchImpact #OAResearch #ChronicDiseasePrevention

💜 Women’s Health Week is a chance to spotlight health conditions that impact women most. Women have unique biological characteristics and social experiences that shape their health outcomes across the lifespan. From reproductive health to chronic disease risk and mental well-being, the health needs of women evolve through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older age. These needs are further influenced by social determinants such as income, education, cultural background, and geographic location. 🔬Women are more likely than men to develop certain types of osteoarthritis, especially knee OA, due to factors like hormonal changes, joint structure, and biomechanics. That’s why we’re part of the TOPS (The Osteoarthritis Prevention Study) trial, a world-first study testing whether diet and exercise can prevent knee osteoarthritis in women over 50 who are at risk but don’t yet have significant knee pain. 🦵 By focusing on prevention, TOPS is helping women stay active, independent, and healthy as they age. 👉 Learn more or get involved: https://lnkd.in/gbHvnnQf or https://lnkd.in/gntQZaVD

Happy International Dog Day! 🐾 Today we celebrate the loyal companions who bring joy to our lives and give a special shoutout to all the dog-loving researchers in our osteoarthritis team. Whether you're studying joints or walking them, you're making strides every day!

🎓 Our team has been lucky enough to recently host Professor Michelle Dowsey and Professor Stephen Messier at the Kolling Institute. It’s been a wonderful time for collaboration, learning, and networking with two leading voices in osteoarthritis research. 🔬 Prof Dowsey shared her expertise in an engaging talk titled “Is It Ever Too Late for Non-Operative Therapies in the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee?” and Prof Messier delivered a compelling presentation on the challenges of designing and funding an Osteoarthritis Prevention Trial. We’re incredibly grateful for their time, insights, and generosity in sharing their work with us! 💡👏

Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital are trialling a program to support people with knee osteoarthritis to move more and manage their symptoms. Study co-lead Dr Vicky Duong said exercise is one of the most effective treatments for osteoarthritis. The Kolling Institute’s Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group has launched a study to identify the best way to incorporate more activity into each day. The trial will involve a 12-week self-guided physical activity program where participants will be offered either a detailed program and a Fitbit activity tracker, or just the assistance of the Fitbit tracker. Dr Duong said it was important to involve the community in the design of this trial. “Last year, we travelled around Australia to help adapt and design the program to ensure it was relevant for people right across the country,” she said. “We hope that by listening to a broad range of communities that we have developed a program which will deliver improved results and better health outcomes.” Co-lead Dr Sarah Kobayashi said the guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week, or an equivalent combination of both. “This level of activity directly reduces osteoarthritis symptoms and helps people manage the condition, so we’re looking forward to finding an evidenced-based approach to help the community reach that amount of activity,” she said. If you’re interested in joining the trial, further details can be found on the website. https://lnkd.in/gbxDT5yC Medicine and Health - University of Sydney Northern Sydney Local Health District