Q & A: Joint Replacement Awareness Day®
Q: For those who have never heard of this before, what is Joint Replacement Awareness Day® and when is it occurring?
A: The first-ever Joint Replacement Awareness Day® (JRAD) is being held on Saturday, April 14th, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PDT. It is sponsored by the online website and forum, BoneSmart.org. JRAD is an online educational event primarily for people suffering from joint pain. It addresses issues important to those considering or planning for surgery as well as those who have had a hip or knee replaced. We know that many patients who have a joint replaced go on to get another one done within 2-3 years from the first one they received. This free public service educational web event will be streamed LIVE and we will have attendees from around the world. JRAD will feature leading orthopedic surgeons and a physiatrist speaking on a wide variety of topics. Several sessions will also include a BoneSmart forum staff member who is a patient as well and this will weave the patient’s perspective into the discussions.
Q: Can you pinpoint what the main inspiration behind wanting to create an awareness day for people contemplating knee or hip replacement surgeries was?
A: Since its inception in 2004 BoneSmart has been dedicated to abating fear and dispelling the confusion and anxiety surrounding an arthritis diagnosis and joint replacement surgery. Through the website and forum, we have provided information and support for more than 26,000 members and millions of guests who have come to the site and read, but chose not to personally join in on the discussions. We realized about 5 years ago that there are many celebrated days out there but nothing for the joint replacement population. Joint Replacement Awareness Day® is an expansion of this support and it offers a unique opportunity for people to learn more about topics that are important to anyone experiencing arthritic hip or knee pain.
Q: Which topics are expected to be discussed during the free public service educational web event?
A: Complete information regarding the Joint Replacement Awareness Day program and our faculty can be obtained from our conference website https://jointawareday.org/ . Topics will include:
* Am I a candidate for joint replacement?
* What happens before, during and after my surgery?
* Can stem cells prevent surgery?
* Finding the right surgeon (from both the surgeon’s and patient’s perspective)
* Hip and knee surgical techniques
* Customized joint replacement and robotic surgery
* “Outpatient” joint replacement surgery
* The role of pain management and the use of non-opioid alternatives
* Pain management (from both the surgeon’s and patient’s perspective)
* Minimizing risks and complications of surgery
* Living with my new joint (sports, activity, care and maintenance)
Q: What is the main take away participants can hope to gain after tuning in? What is the goal JRAD is hoping to accomplish?
A: BoneSmart serves as the bridge between time-crunched surgeons and their patients who are hungry for information. The ultimate goal of Joint Replacement Awareness Day® is to provide the education and comfort patients need to pursue treatment confidently and to assist them in regaining their quality of life. The main take away for Joint Replacement Awareness Day® participants will be an increased awareness of what may lie ahead for their painful joints, how to cope with degenerative arthritis, and how to become an active participant in their medical treatment both now and in the future.
Q: Where can people go to get involved and is this expected to be a yearly web event going forward?
A: Joint Replacement Awareness Day® will definitely be an annual event and we are already beginning to plan JRAD 2019. We can accept registrations for this year’s program right up until it starts on April 14th. People can go to our conference website at https://jointawareday.org/ and sign up. But we also encourage anyone impacted by arthritic joints to join our BoneSmart forum and continue to learn more and recognize the value that BoneSmart brings to patients. There they will find a family of friendly folks of all ages who have walked this path already. Our forum members and staff are ready to help others navigate whatever comes up in their journey toward taking back their life from the pain of arthritis. We have members around the globe, so there is almost always someone online available to talk. Involvement with BoneSmart and Joint Replacement Awareness Day can take many forms. We love new members who want to talk with others who have joint pain or are in recovery. We encourage anyone to consider making a donation to BoneSmart to keep our forum and educational events going strong. Donations can be made via the site link above or directly from the forum and website at www.bonesmart.org. We are always looking for people who would be willing to do short video testimonials about their experience with joint replacement surgery. And, of course, we love to engage with followers on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
Q: For those who can’t attend or happen to miss the live event, will they be provided with a recorded link to watch?
A: Video of Joint Replacement Awareness Day 2018 will be available immediately following the event through an on-demand video player. Anyone can access the video via our JRAD conference website address above. While you must register with us to view the video, there is no cost to do so.
