GLA:D® Back

Do you experience persistent or recurrent low back pain?

Wakefield Sports and Exercise Medicine Clinic is the first clinic in South Australia to be able to offer the GLA:D® Back program. Our physiotherapists, Jennifer Laver Scott and Matthew Pilla, are among the first clinicians to be trained and accredited in delivering the GLA:D® Back program in Australia, with Jennifer being part of the pilot study in 2019/2020.

GLA:D® Back is an international research study and program designed to help people with persistent or recurrent low back pain. GLA:D® Back was designed by researchers and therapists at the University of Southern Denmark in partnership with Macquarie University.

You may have heard of the GLA:D® hip and knee program, which consists of education and exercise sessions for people with hip or knee osteoarthritis. Based on the success of this program, GLA:D® Back was built similarly for people with back pain.

Results from the GLA:D® Back program in Denmark show:

• 31% reduction in pain
• 30% less medication use
• 25% improvement in function
• 68% achievement of an individually set SMART goal

What does GLA:D Back involve?

GLA:D® Back is provided in small groups, with a maximum of 6 participants per class, and consists of:

• An initial 1:1 assessment where we determine your starting level and discuss your goals
• 2 x group education sessions about your back, pain, and what you can do yourself to help your back
• 16 x guided group exercise classes, twice a week for 8 weeks
• A final 1:1 visit where we will test how much you have improved and discuss your ongoing plan
• Our team gathering information from you to learn more about back pain and how to make it better

Please see the GLA:D® Back information sheet for information on costings and for our current class timetable.

What do I need to participate?

• First, make a time to talk to our accredited GLA:D® Back clinicians to see if you are eligible/suitable for the GLA:D Back program
• You will need to wear comfortable clothes that you can move in, but you don’t need special sports clothing or shoes
• You can wear indoor shoes or exercise in bare feet
• We will provide the exercise mats and resistance bands in the classes

Please contact our clinic on 8271 7000 or 8232 5566 for any GLA:D® Back enquiries, or to book an assessment with Jennifer or Matt.