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IMPAKT-HiP – Preventing Hip Pain
IMPAKT-HiP (Investigations of Mobility, Physical Activity, and Knowledge in Hip Pain) is a research study that will look at if hip pain is caused by certain types of physical activities, a hip deformity called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) or the combination of both. We believe that by determining the cause of hip pain we can prevent hip damage and open the door to preventing hip osteoarthritis. This ground-breaking work is led by Dr. John Esdaile, Scientific Director of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada. The research team includes 14 top-level researchers across Canada and is a 5-year, $2.5 million project funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Why is This Study Important?
Not enough is known about the cause of hip osteoarthritis. It is a disease that keeps people from doing the activities they love and often affects their ability to work. Many of those affected spend years suffering, slowly eliminating activities and limiting their lifestyle as the pain gradually increases. Believing that, 'it's just normal aches and pains', which will go away, they ignore the symptoms. Osteoarthritis, which occurs when cartilage is damaged, is the outcome. Frequently, patients put off seeking medical attention until the disease has advanced to a point where surgery is needed. Hip osteoarthritis is responsible for 90% of hip replacements. The IMPAKT-HiP study aims to change this by providing a better understanding of what causes hip pain.
I ignored the aches and pains until one day I was walking with my 80 year old Dad and I couldn't keep up.
I had my hip replaced at 53 years old but the pain started when I was only 45.Kelly Barber
Assistant Chief, Coquitlam Fire & Rescue
What is FAI?
Femoroacetabular impingement or FAI is described as a boney deformity of the hip. Not enough is known about FAI. However, it is believed that certain physical activities involving hip flexion and repetitive hip flexor activity, such as hockey, soccer and cycling, combined with FAI, cause friction in the hip joint and damage to the cartilage.
Is Hip Osteoarthritis Caused by Physical Activity?
We will look at the interaction between specific types of physical activity and FAI on hip pain as well as the role of physical activity over a lifetime in causing hip osteoarthritis. New imaging techniques and a state of the art standing MRI machine will be used to see how the physical motion and the deformity combine to damage cartilage.
Hip Exam Reliability Study - Thank you to all of the examiners and participants who volunteered their time (and their hips) to make this day a great success! The researchers are currently analyzing the data and we will report the findings when they are made available. Please check back soon.
Arthritis Treatment and Prevention – Dr. Linda Li presented on arthritis treatment and prevention at the Global Health Forum sponsored by the Global Chinese Press
How to Co-exist with Arthritis – This year's annual Health Fair presented by the Chinese Medical Society of BC included Dr. Linda Li as a panel member.
August 2011Arthritis Awareness Month – To kick off the month our team partnered with CIHR to produce the informative and entertaining video about the IMPAKT-HiP study found on this page. Congratulations to Dr. John Esdaile for being our star!
A systematic review of current literature on the relationship between lifetime physical activity, specific physical activities and hip osteoarthritis is underway.
July 2010
IMPAKT-HiP Study Announcement – The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced funding for the IMPAKT-HiP study through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). "Our Government encourages Canadians to be physically active as part of a healthy lifestyle," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Today's investment in research will help develop new strategies for using exercise to prevent and treat major diseases affecting Canadians."