Dr Felicity Braithwaite’s research is debunking common myths about osteoarthritis that stop people from getting the best treatments. She works hand-in-hand with people with osteoarthritis to create educational videos that highlight their lived experiences and use patient-friendly language. Testing of the videos showed that they successfully debunked these myths and increased people’s willingness to move and exercise. Their videos are now being used to educate Australian society so that everyone with osteoarthritis gets the best possible treatment.
Dr Braithwaite’s research is also enhancing our brain’s natural pain-fighting ability: the placebo effect. She invented fake acupuncture needles that do not pierce the skin, and this entirely fake treatment can drastically reduce knee pain, simply because the patient believes it will work – this is the power of the placebo effect! Her research is uncovering how we can use placebo effects to maximise pain relief with osteoarthritis treatments.
2024