ESCAPE Pain - Hip and Knee
Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Pain using Exercise
ESCAPE Pain is a rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain that integrates educational self-management and coping strategies with an exercise regimen individualised for each participant.

How are ESCAPE Pain workshops helping people in Cardiff and the Vale?
It helps people understand their condition, teaches them simple things they can help themselves with, and takes them through a progressive exercise programme so they learn how to cope with pain better.
The programme will not completely cure your pain. It aims to reduce your pain, improve your physical function, as well as your confidence in your ability to manage your condition.
Cardiff and Vale offers two separate ESCAPE Pain programmes:
- ESCAPE Pain for hips/knees – designed specifically to benefit people with hip and knee arthritis providing you with the skills and techniques to self-manage your pain.
- ESCAPE Pain for Backs – designed specifically to benefit people with persistent back pain. To find out more about ESCAPE Pain for back pain click here.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Exercising with Arthritis
Click on the link below to learn more about arthritis from the VERSUS Arthritis website: https://www.versusarthritis.org/
Why not have a look at the short videos below from people who have participated in the ESCAPE Pain Programme:
What does the ESCAPE Pain Programme for Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis involve?
- The programme is 6 weeks long
- You will attend 2 classes each week (12 classes in total)
- 15-20 minutes group discussion on a specific topic relating to joint pain
- 30-40 minutes of different exercises designed to improve your movement and function
- You will be asked to complete a questionnaire before and after the programme. You will be provided with your own individual results, which will be useful to see how much progress you have made.

Where can I attend ESCAPE Pain for hip or knee osteoarthritis?
Cardiff and Vale UHB offers the ESCAPE Pain Programme for hip and knee osteoarthritis at the following locations:
Eastern Leisure Centre
- Mondays and Wednesdays
Western Leisure Centre
- Tuesdays and Thursdays
Fairwater Leisure Centre
- Wednesdays and Fridays
Barry Leisure Centre
- Tuesdays and Fridays
Penarth Leisure Centre
- Mondays and Thursdays
How do I refer myself?
If you are interested in participating in any of the above programmes, please complete the referral form below. You will be contacted by telephone in the coming weeks to book your place on your chosen leisure centre.
Also in this section
ESCAPEE Sessions
ESCAPEE events are follow-up exercise sessions for people who have attended the ESCAPE Pain programme for hip, knee or back pain. Graduates of ESCAPE are welcome to drop into any of these sessions.
Cardiff, CF3 4DN United Kingdom

Penarth, CF64 2NS United Kingdom

Barry, CF63 4JJ United Kingdom

Cardiff, CF5 5HJ United Kingdom
