Impact future research

Bone and joint diseases are the primary cause of disability in Canada, with osteoarthritis affecting one in nine Albertans. This number is expected to double by 2031. In any given year, a Canadian living with a bone and joint disease is two to three times more likely to be hospitalized, require physiotherapy, and multiple primary care or specialist visits than someone without a chronic condition. Currently, there are no cures for the three most common musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases: osteoarthritis, inflammatory (rheumatoid) arthritis, and osteoporosis.

Bone and joint diseases are complex and are linked to genetic, environmental, occupational, and lifestyle factors. Many bone and joint diseases start developing early in life, but symptoms appear much later when irreversible damage has occured. Because of this complexity, progress in preventing and treating these diseases requires an interdisciplinary approach to research and a long-term follow-up strategy.

We are asking thousands of Albertans, both with and without bone and joint conditions, to participate in this long-term research study that will provide invaluable information that will help prevent and/or cure inflammatory arthritis, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis.

We are recruiting participants who reside in Alberta and who are at least 14 years old to join the Mobility for Life Project.

Once enrolled in the project, participants will be invited to complete annual health and lifestyle questionnaires and may be invited to participate in optional in-person data collection at regular intervals.

The information collected in the Mobility for Life Project will form a world-class musculoskeletal health database, which will be used for generations to come to ensure we all enjoy Mobility for Life. Researchers will use this information to personalize prevention strategies, identify early indicators of disease, improve diagnosis, and target effective treatment.