“It has made me reset how I feel about my pain. To pace myself, rest when necessary but keep moving.”
— Hope Programme for hip or knee pain participant
Hope Programme for osteoarthritis and hip or knee pain
The Hope Programme for osteoarthritis and hip or knee pain provides evidence-based self-management support for people living with osteoarthritis and chronic pain in the hip or knee, including people waiting for NHS assessment, treatment or joint replacement surgery.
The programme has been co-designed with people with lived experience, healthcare professionals and academic partners.
It combines the established Hope Programme approach with tailored content to help people manage osteoarthritis and hip or knee pain, including evidence based home based exercise, healthy lifestyle, pain management, goal setting, managing difficult emotions and preparing for healthcare appointments and treatment including joint replacement surgery.
People can access the support through online group-facilitated and self-guided courses.
The development and roll-out of the programme has been supported through UK Research and Innovation Innovate UK funding, initially through the Healthy Ageing Challenge and subsequently through Innovate UK’s Contracts for Innovation.
Research and impact
The Hope Programme for osteoarthritis and hip or knee pain has been developed through two projects funded by Innovate UK.
HoPES (Hope and Prepare Effectively for Surgery) was co-designed to support people preparing for hip or knee replacement surgery. The evaluation found significant improvements in confidence to self-manage, pain and mental wellbeing over six months. Of those who had surgery, 92% felt better prepared, with early evidence also suggesting potential savings through reduced use of healthcare professionals.
An independent evaluation found that HoPES generated more than £926,000 in social value through improved wellbeing, local employment, reduced inequalities and lower carbon emissions.
Building on HoPES, HOPE-MOVE (Help Overcome Problems Effectively – MOVement and hEalthy lifestyle) is widening the support to people living with osteoarthritis and chronic hip or knee pain, and those waiting for NHS assessment or treatment.
HOPE-MOVE introduces further co-designed content around exercise and healthy lifestyles and scaling the support initially across the South West and expanding across the UK.
The programme is ORCHA and QISMET accredited.
From our Hope Programme for hip or knee pain participant“It's been really helpful in realising how you think has an impact on how you feel. Having a supportive physio has helped but the course has made me more open to listening and following the suggestions he has made. Gentle exercise every day has made it possible to reduce the pain. It's still not perfect but improved 😊”
Hope stories
