Research summary
Osteoarthritis affects more than 520 million people around the world, causing tremendous personal distress and adding to health care costs. More effective treatments are needed to slow the progression of this disease—and searching for them is a priority. But to succeed, researchers need a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the progression of osteoarthritis.
As Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Dr. Trevor Birmingham is building on his previous work to investigate new interventions in rehabilitation and surgery, with a focus on knee osteoarthritis. In addition to measuring pain and function, he and his research team are studying how changes in knee load affect the joint’s structure and biological processes. They are also exploring treatments that are meant to change the way the knee bears weight when walking. Ultimately, their goal is to identify ways to prevent, slow or halt the progression of knee osteoarthritis.