About Rethink OA
Reimagining the osteoarthritis journey.
Osteoarthritis affects more than 500 million people worldwide, yet the support people receive often focuses on managing symptoms rather than understanding the experience of pain itself. Many people are told to “just live with it,” leaving them feeling discouraged, disconnected, and unsure of what to do next.
Rethink Osteoarthritis was created to change that.
Our Story
Rethink OA began at Stanford University, where a team of researchers, clinicians, and psychologists came together with one goal:
Rethink how we support people living with osteoarthritis through evidence-based education and mindset tools.
Traditional OA care focuses heavily on medications, injections, and surgery. However, research in pain science demonstrates that how we interpret pain profoundly influences how we move, engage in life, and experience healing.
In our clinical research at Stanford, we found something powerful:
When people learn to reinterpret their pain, their confidence increases, their movement changes, and their lives open back up.Â
This insight led to the development of a digital mindset program—later published in Nature Digital Medicine—that increased physical activity, improved well-being, reduced fear of movement, and helped people re-engage with their daily lives.
The program was simple, accessible, and deeply human. And it worked.
After seeing participants regain mobility, return to activities they thought they had lost, and feel hopeful again, Melissa Boswell, PhD, set out to bring it to the world as Rethink Osteoarthritis.
Today, Rethink OA is an evidence-based digital program rooted in science and shaped by the lived experiences of real people. It’s built to meet you exactly where you are—physically, emotionally, and mentally—and help you move toward what matters most.
Our Mission
To empower people with osteoarthritis through mindset-based tools that help them regain control of their lives and their osteoarthritis journey—transforming how they think, move, and live.
Meet the Team Behind Rethink OA
Melissa Boswell, PhD
Founder & CEO
Dr. Melissa Boswell is a bioengineer, researcher, and yoga instructor whose work bridges clinical science and mind-body approaches to help people move freely and live with more confidence. She led the development and translation of the Rethink OA program at Stanford and now brings it to the world through Rethink Health. Her work centers on human connection, evidence-based tools, and empowering people to rethink what’s possible.
Scott Delp, PhD
Co-Creator & Scientific Advisor
Dr. Scott Delp is the James H. Clark Professor of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, and one of the world’s leading experts in human movement science. His research has shaped how clinicians and scientists understand mobility and rehabilitation. Scott provided scientific guidance and mentoring throughout the creation and evaluation of Rethink OA.
Alia Crum, PhD
Co-Creator
Dr. Alia Crum is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and a leading researcher in mindsets and health. Her foundational research inspired elements of the program’s mindset framework, helping shape how Rethink OA supports people in reinterpreting their pain and reconnecting with their bodies.
Nicholas Giori, MD, PhD
Co-Creator & Scientific Advisor
Nick is Chief of Orthopaedic Research at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System and Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Stanford University. His clinical expertise in osteoarthritis, joint preservation, and patient-centered care helped shape the medical insights and approach behind the program.
Kris Evans, MS
Co-Creator & Scientific Advisor
Kris is a cognitive scientist expert whose work focuses on behavior change, mindfulness, and the mind-body connection. His contributions to the program helped ensure that every lesson is practical, psychologically grounded, and designed to create meaningful, lasting change.
