What is Joint Action?
It is the Orthopaedic Research Appeal of The British Orthopaedic Association (BOA). Joint Action was established by the BOA in late 2004 to lead in the process of developing the research base in UK orthopaedics.
Joint Action is currently the only UK charity that specialises in raising and distributing funds for all areas of the musculoskeletal spectrum.
Over the years the BOA, and now Joint Action, through different charitable vehicles, is proud to have been able to channel in excess of £5.7M to support orthopaedic research.
As a charity they rely completely on voluntary donations.
Why is Joint Action needed?
The work of Joint action and The British Orthopaedic Association is desperately important for a number of reasons:
- Half of us will need orthopaedic treatment at some stage in our life.
- At present within the UK around 17,000 babies are born each year with orthopaedic defects.
- Many more become affected by juvenile arthritis, bone cancer and young fit, people are frequently injured in sport or road traffic accidents.
- A common requirement in the over 60's age group is for an artificial hip.
- As well as the human cost of pain and suffering, musculoskeletal disorders are the most common cause of illness in the UK affecting over 8.5 million people and are responsible for in excess of 11 million lost working days. This costs society, in 2007 prices over £7 billion.
- It is the sixth-largest area of NHS expenditure, at over £3.3 billion annually and accounts for over 30% of patients who visit their GPs.
- Musculoskeletal conditions involving bones, muscles and joints are estimated to become to be the single largest cause of disability in the UK in by 2020.
Despite all this the Department of Health does not currently consider orthopaedics ‘an area of national priority’. As a result it currently contributes considerably less than 2% - 3% of the total annual UK medical research budget.
Today, adults, children - people just like you - are benefitting and will benefit from the efforts of orthopaedic surgeons.
Joint Aid are funding research into techniques that give these young people a quality of life and sense of normality that, like us, otherwise, they could only dream of.
Testimonials
•“I have first hand experience of the great skill that all orthopeadic surgeons have when they put our various joints back together. I wouldn’t still be riding at the top of my form if I hadn’t had such excellent treatment.”
Frankie Dettori
•“My life was more than touched; indeed it was saved by the phenomenal abilities and techniques of Orthopaedic surgeons.”
Fred Cannon
What does Joint Action Do?
Joint Action exists to fund research to help relieve the burden of muskuloskelal diseases. These conditions can affect people of all ages. It is Joint Action's aim to help patients by improving orthopaedic treatment for the present and future generations by improving Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery. Their research program has been devised by the BOA Research Committee. Following extensive discussion with other leading orthopaedic professional bodies, in 2005, Joint Action published their Research Agenda which focuses on six Priority Areas.
- Arthritis & arthroplasty
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Major Limb Trauma
- Osteoporsis and fragility Fractures
- Spinal Disorders
- Paediatric orthopaedics
For more detail on Joint Action's work, click here to download the 2008-2010 impact report.
What can I do?
Sponsor the Hip Trip! No donation is too big or too small- all proceeds from the Hip Trip go directly to Joint Action. We are aiming to raise over £10,000- so get involved today and help this fantastic cause in whatever way you can.
