The awareness campaign on osteoarthritis is underway

Today in Milan a press conference has been held to launch the national awareness campaign Not a Good MOArning?, an initiative promoted by IBSA Italy with the support of ANMAR and the City of Milan and created to inform and raise awareness among the population about the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

The campaign aims to highlight the often underestimated symptoms of this condition and to bring to the streets, in the heart of Italian cities, the topic of prevention and awareness of the disease, which is not always so well known.

One of the symptoms, often ignored, is also the first alarm bell: it’s the morning stiffness that patients experience after periods of prolonged inactivity and that the campaign has symbolically represented through a statue depicting a “petrified” woman as she gets up from the couch in the early hours of the morning.

The installation – which will be placed in Piazza XXV Aprile in Milan from 9 to 12 May – will also travel to Rome at Piazza Mignanelli, from 9 to 11 June, and Naples, from 14 to 17 June, to bring its message of awareness to an ever-wider audience. Next to the statue, a series of totems will provide information on the condition, as well as a QR Code that will direct citizens to the campaign website, where they will find further information about osteoarthritis, its risk factors, lifestyle recommendations and the exercises that can help manage this condition.

The launch press conference, moderated by SKY TG24 journalist Raffaella Cesaroni, saw the participation of several specialists in the sector, such as Mario Vetrano, Associate Professor of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine at the Sapienza University of Rome; Andrea Reggiani, Founding member of the National Association of Interventional Physiatry (ANFI, Associazione Nazionale Fisiatria Interventistica); and a representation of patients, thanks to the presence of Silvia Tonolo, President of ANMAR ODV – Associazione Nazionale Malati Reumatici (“National Association of Rheumatic Patients”). The meeting was an opportunity to take stock of osteoarthritis and reiterate the importance of an early recognition of symptoms for a timely diagnosis and a correct management of patients.

Special guest at the conference, the multiple Olympic swimming champion Massimiliano Rosolino who shed light on the importance of sport in the prevention of joint conditions, bringing his own testimony and experience.

“Sport has been a real school for me. The approach and interaction I had from a young age with medical specialists – such as physiotherapists and nutritionists – allowed me to understand the importance of prevention and to get to this day in good shape with regard to joint health. In general, to preserve the well-being of the joints, movement is critical. Some types of training, such as functional, are useful for maintaining a state of well-being of bones and joints in everyday life. I am increasingly convinced that curiosity in practicing different disciplines, in search of what can make us feel good, is one of the secrets to keeping one’s body in shape for as long as possible. As the years go by, it’s important to practice exercises that preserve coordination and flexibility, and which allow to maintain a good degree of strength and cardiovascular activity”, stated Rosolino.

There are currently no definitive cures for osteoarthritis, but there are various therapeutic options that can help better manage the disease by slowing its progression. The treatment of osteoarthritis is based on a gradual and flexible approach, which aims to control pain and slow down the joint degenerative process. In parallel, adopting a healthy lifestyle, with a balanced diet and regular physical activity – as underlined by Rosolino – is essential in order to improve the quality of life. 

Read here the press release.