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ESCAPE-pain for knees and hips

What is the ESCAPE-pain programme?

ESCAPE-pain stands for Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Pain using Exercise. It is a rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain that integrates education and exercise.

ESCAPE-pain offers two programmes:

  • ESCAPE-pain for knees and hips: designed to benefit people with chronic knee/ hip pain.
  • ESCAPE-pain for backs: designed to benefit people with chronic low back pain.

What to expect?

  • The programme will help you have less pain and learn to cope with your knee and/or hip pain better. ESCAPE-pain is delivered as 2 classes per week for six weeks (12 classes in total). Class size is usually about 8–10 people but can be increased if there is more than one facilitator.
  • Each class usually starts with a brief (20 minute) group discussion around a specific topic relating to joint pain. This helps participants to share their experiences with other participants, so that shared learning takes place.
  • This is followed by about 40 minutes of a simple circuit-type exercise programme. A physiotherapist or an exercise professional will supervise the circuit and tailor exercises to suit your needs.
  • During the first and last session, you’ll be asked to complete some questionnaires about your pain and management. This information is useful to see how much progress you have made, and to keep track of how ESCAPE-pain is helping people.

What to bring?

All exercise equipment will be provided. It’s recommended that you:

  • Wear loose-fitting clothing.
  • Wear comfortable, flat shoes (e.g. trainers).
  • Bring a water bottle.
  • Bring reading glasses, if you need them.

This infographic describes the participant benefits of the ESCAPE-pain programme for knees and hips.

Support tools

Please read our support tools guidance which we have produced to help you continue exercising safely in your home, after you have completed the face-to-face ESCAPE-pain programme for knees and hips.

Have you attended ESCAPE-pain?

Please email us at hello@escape-pain.org and tell us what you thought of the programme and how it’s affected the way you manage your joint pain.

Do you have back pain?

If yes, please be sure to visit the: ‘I have back pain’ pages to learn more about the ESCAPE-pain for backs programme.