What is STOP FRACTURE?
STOP FRACTURE! stands for ‘Strength Training for Optimum Prevention of Fracture. Refocusing A Clinical paradigm That Underutilises Recognised Effective therapy’.
The economic and personal cost of minimal trauma (osteoporotic) fracture ( MTF ) is high and growing. Current management of osteoporosis primarily involves pharmaceuticals because lifestyle interventions have been relatively ineffective. Recently, however, a safe and effective exercise therapy for osteoporosis (Onero™) has been developed, but clinician awareness is low.
Our goal
The goal of the STOP FRACTURE study is to enhance patient access to Onero™ by increasing clinician and patient awareness and creating a simple referral pathway. The project aligns with the MRFF goal to provide equitable healthcare through transformative preventative research that addresses a vital and growing unmet health need in Australia.
Why is implementing highly specific exercise interventions (Onero™) so important in the treatment of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a growing and costly problem that dramatically reduces quality of life, leads to loss of independence and increases risk of death. There are some medications that improve bone mass and reduce risk of osteoporotic or minimal trauma fracture (MTF), but many patients dislike them as a result of some unwanted side effects and prefer lifestyle interventions. While not all forms of exercise increase bone mass, we have shown that high intensity resistance and impact training (HiRIT) is very effective. However, HiRIT with a frail skeleton is not without risk so supervision is required. We have shown HiRIT (known as Onero™) to be as effective in clinical practice as it is in clinical trials, but awareness of the program is low, which means many who need it are missing important therapy. We aim to reduce osteoporotic fracture by implementing pathways of referral to HiRIT therapy, thereby supporting health care providers who wish to refer, and their patients who want effective therapy.
What is STOP FRACTURE measuring?
Primary Outcomes
1. The effectiveness of referral pathways to Onero™ exercise therapy, and;
2. The effectiveness of Onero™ in reducing minimal trauma fracture.
Secondary Outcomes
Secondary outcomes will include feasibility, quality of life, bone and muscle mass, physical function, falls, adverse events and cost-benefit.
Who is eligible to participate in STOP FRACTURE?
There are two groups of participants:
1. Clinicians working at clinical sites who manage patients at risk of MTF, and
2. Patients over the age of 45 with low bone mass can mobilise independently.
What STOP FRACTURE will do
We will be comparing referrals to Onero™ and the incidence of Minimal Trauma Fracture (MTF) occurring in the 2 years prior to our study, to the data we collect over a 2-year referral period. Data will be collected from registered hospital- and clinic-based referring doctors across NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, Tasmania and WA.
We have worked with clinicians, patients, clinical sites and HiRIT practitioners to co-design a referral pathway that fits into the existing models of care for osteoporosis which is now being implemented, monitored and evaluated at key stages of the project.
The project's goal is to provide equitable health outcomes through transformative preventative research addressing vital and growing unmet health needs in Australia.
What is the benefit of participating in STOP FRACTURE?
By contributing to the development and implementation of a formal referral pathway to effective exercise therapy, currently missing from the osteoporosis model of care, you will be improving the care of patients living with osteoporosis and potentially reducing MTF .
STOP FRACTURE hopes to have HiRIT added to the Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) so that osteoporosis and MTF patients can, in the future, be reimbursed for their participation in highly effective exercise intervention.
Our Team
The STOP FRACTURE Project team is made up of world class Researchers, Clinicians in various fields; Endocrinology, Rheumatology & Orthopaedics, General Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Patient Advocates and Administrative staff.
Our team have been selected based on their expertise in bone health and knowledge in public health policy and implementation. They have led research programs and government initiatives, clinical units and disciplinary or consumer advocacy bodies and committees.
Study Doctors Contact List
To be included in the study as a participant you must be:
- Referred to Onero™ by a study doctor
- Eligible, based on the study criteria, and
- Provide consent to be a study participant and allow us to access 24 months of MBS and PBS claims history from the date of your initial assessment (this is so we can report our study outcomes related to fracture and bone health).
Please email the team for further information if you are interested in joining the study - stopfracture@griffith.edu.au.
Channel 7 Brisbane interview with Professor Belinda Beck
The unique weight-lifting program supporting the prevention of osteoporosis for Australian's over the age of 45.
Want to know more?
This clinical trial has Griffith University's Human Research Ethics Committee's (HREC) approval. Ref: 2023/139 and 2023/375.