Joint Action

Could the shoes you wear every day be making your knee osteoarthritis better or worse? On this week's episode of Joint Action, Kade Paterson joins Professor David Hunter to explain why footwear matters for knee osteoarthritis and how to choose the best shoe for your joints.

Associate Professor Kade Paterson is a Principal Research Fellow in the Centre for Health Exercise and Sports Medicine in the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne and a leader in the field of walking and running biomechanics. His research focuses on lower limb biomechanics and injury, with expertise in how foot-based interventions and footwear influence musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis. Kade is also a certified sports podiatrist and has published extensively, contributing to over 90 peer‑reviewed papers and presenting internationally. He is an editorial board member for two international journals, is Co-Chair and inaugural steering committee member for the International Foot and Ankle Osteoarthritis Consortium, and President of Sports and Exercise Podiatry Australia.

RESOURCES
Journal articles
The Effect of Flat Flexible Versus Stable Supportive Shoes on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms: A Randomized Trial
Q&A: Choosing shoes for osteoarthritis pain

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Naia Health: https://www.naiahealth.com.au/st-leonards-hub
Join one of our trials: https://www.osteoarthritisresearch.com.au/current-trials
Instagram: @ProfDavidHunter
Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
Email: hello@jointaction.info
Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

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What happens to global science when funding is cut, borders close, and collaboration is threatened? In this special episode of Joint Action, Professor David Hunter reflects on the proposed changes to research funding and collaboration threaten global science and why speaking up, supporting one another, and protecting open, rigorous research matters now more than ever.

PROVIDE FEEDBACK

Office of Management and Budget (Open until July 13th, 2026) - Federal Register :: Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance

CONNECT WITH US

Naia Health: https://www.naiahealth.com.au/st-leonards-hub
Join one of our trials https://www.osteoarthritisresearch.com.au/current-trials
Instagram: @ProfDavidHunter
Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
Email: hello@jointaction.info
Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we say a treatment works for knee osteoarthritis, it is worth asking: works for whom? On this week's episode of Joint Action, Professor Christian Barton unpacks the blind spots in osteoarthritis research, exploring who has and hasn't been included in the evidence base for first-line care, and what that means for the patients we treat every day.

Prof Christian Barton is a physiotherapist and implementation scientist at La Trobe University, where he leads key projects including GLA:D Australia and TREK. With additional training in communications and implementation science, his research focuses on bridging the gap between evidence and practice in osteoarthritis, knee, and running injury care. He also consults privately at Complete Physio Richmond.

RESOURCES
Journal articles

Blind spots in reporting and representation in knee osteoarthritis research: A systematic review of the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 22,443 participants in randomised controlled trials of first-line care
Who is waiting to see the surgeon? sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and previous osteoarthritis care of people with knee osteoarthritis referred to public hospitals in Victoria, Australia
Barriers and Facilitators for the Implementation of an Osteoarthritis Management Programs in a Low-Income Setting: An Exploratory Study of Malawian Physical Therapists

CONNECT WITH US

Naia Health: https://www.naiahealth.com.au/st-leonards-hub
Join one of our trials https://www.osteoarthritisresearch.com.au/current-trials
Instagram: @ProfDavidHunter
Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
Email: hello@jointaction.info
Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Joint Action, Vicky turns the tables and puts the questions to Professor David Hunter. Three listeners submitted questions spanning gut health, total knee replacement, and the frustrating gap between what the research says and what patients are actually being told in clinic.

It's a wide-ranging, honest conversation that's relevant whether you're living with osteoarthritis, working in healthcare, or simply want to understand the science better.

RELATED EPISODES
Season 6, Episode 26: Episode Your osteoarthritis questions answered by David (Part 2)
Season 6, Episode 25: Episode Your osteoarthritis questions answered by David (Part 1)
Season 5, Episode 26: Your osteoarthritis questions answered by David
Season 2, Episode 8: A chat to David and listener questions

CONNECT WITH US
Naia Health: https://www.naiahealth.com.au/st-leonards-hub
Join one of our trials https://www.osteoarthritisresearch.com.au/current-trials
Instagram: @ProfDavidHunter
Twitter: @ProfDavidHunter @jointactionorg
Email: hello@jointaction.info
Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number of surgical procedures for musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis has increased exponentially over the past years, some of which are unnecessary and leave patients no better off than they were before. Knee replacement surgery can be a wonderful and cost-effective treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis but only when less invasive treatments have failed. There are many factors driving the alarming rates of increased surgery ranging from system-level factors such as inadequate reimbursement for physiotherapy treatment to personal-level factors such as individual beliefs and education of patients and their health care providers. Frequently referrals are made to surgeons as primary care doctors feel there is nothing more they can do. If you are referred it is important to be prepared for what that consultation will involve and to consider whether you truly want/ need surgery.

On this episode of Joint Action, we are joined by Dr Howard Luks to discuss this topic.

Dr. Howard Luks is a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine specialist. Howard graduated from New York Medical College and completed his Orthopaedic Surgery residency in 1996 and a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in NYC in 1997. His focus is on injuries that involve the shoulder, knee, and elbow. He is the Chief of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at New York Medical College and Advanced Physician Services.

CONNECT WITH HOWARD
Website: https://www.howardluksmd.com/
Podcast: https://www.howardluksmd.com/podcast/the-paul-and-howard-show/

CONNECT WITH US
Naia Health: https://www.naiahealth.com.au/st-leonards-hub
Join one of our trials https://www.osteoarthritisresearch.com.au/current-trials
Instagram: @ProfDavidHunter
Email: hello@jointaction.info
Website: www.jointaction.info/podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to learn more about osteoarthritis from the world's leading experts! And please let us know what you thought by leaving us a review!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.