Parkes Phoenix Editor

Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of disability and decreased mobility in older people. It can also occur in younger or middle-aged people, mostly those who have injured their joint earlier in life.

It mostly affects the articular cartilage (the cartilage covering the ends of the bones) of a joint. The cause of osteoarthritis has often been attributed to “wear and tear” but this can be misleading. Joint cartilage actually requires regular movement to remain healthy. In healthy joints, there is a balance between degeneration and regeneration of the articular cartilage. When degeneration exceeds regeneration, the cartilage thins and may even crack causing the bones to rub together. Cartilage, however, needs some load to regenerate. Healthy loads
need to be applied to joints for cartilage recovery.

In the more advanced stages of osteoarthritis the articular cartilage disappears and the two bone surfaces begin to touch. This causes pain, swelling and increased heat in the joint due to inflammation. Trying to protect itself, the body produces more bone at the joint edges and osteophytes (jagged bits of bone) form. As the soft tissues around the joint, including ligaments and muscles, become affected the joints
become looser and the muscles tighten to compensate. This leads to even more pain and often joint deformity.

Currently there is no proven way of curing cartilage loss. Treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms and improving function of the joint. Regular movement and strengthening the muscles around the joint helps to reduce joint laxity and keep the remaining cartilage healthy. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the load on weight bearing joints therefore decreasing the rate of cartilage breakdown.

For the fitness of you.
Linda Reilly

Indigenous students are invited to apply for the Origin Foundation Grant King Indigenous Scholarships, which will provide two students with a full residential scholarship to undertake a degree in Engineering or Science at the University of New South Wales.

Origin Foundation Head Sean Barrett says the new program will help generations of students aspiring to careers in a STEM field to realise their dreams. Through its Indigenous Programs Unit, Nura Gili, UNSW provides entry pathways for Indigenous students in all faculties and programs, and supports them throughout their studies.

Scholarship holders will also have the opportunity to be mentored by Mr King, who was formerly the Managing Director at Origin and remains one of Australia’s most prominent business leaders as the President of the Business Council of Australia.

“Investing in access to exceptional education and support for Indigenous students is crucial to our society. Mentoring a young person through their most formative years can make a significant impact on their future, and I thank UNSW and Origin Foundation for creating this opportunity,” Mr King said.

The Origin Foundation Grant King Indigenous Scholarship is open for applications now: https://www.scholarships.unsw.edu.au

It is a sad reality that young drivers are involved in 25% of crashes on roads within the Forbes, Parkes, and Lachlan Shire Council areas.

The mock crash demonstration is the major strategy of the NOT A STATISTIC! Youth Driver Education Program, developed in response to crash statistics across NSW, and aims to improve the attitudes and behaviours of young drivers and passengers.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, invites locals to find out what the annual mock car crash demonstration is all about by attending the last dress rehearsal on 21 August at 7pm at Parkes PCYC.

“We are excited that this is the third time we have offered this experience to locals. In the past we received requests from people who wanted to see the demonstration and we’ve also found that having a live audience lifts the performance from our actors,” said Melanie.

“The demonstration is as close to the real thing as it can be. It starts with a short film that sets the scene prior to the crash occurring and proceeds with the mock demonstration, which is a full emergency response involving NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and Parkes SES,” she said.

Local youth actors will play the crash victims and local emergency services will perform their usual tasks. The demonstration concludes with victim impact statements recorded by the crash victims six months on from the crash.

“The run time is around 60 minutes. There’s no need to book – just turn up, “ Ms Suitor said.

“It is important to remember that the content is not suitable for children under the age of 15,” she added.

Over 500 students from nine high schools across the three Council areas will view the mock crash demonstration on Thursday 24 August.