Australian Physiotherapy Association

Keep across the entire FOCUS24 conference over on our X @apaphysio for all things session highlights, exhibitors not to miss and general updates from our delegates!

FOCUS24 is here! Registration opens at 8am at Crown Perth and with over 550 delegates, we can't wait to see you there. Be sure to have your registration confirmation ready on your phone and to download the 'EventsAir' app to find your way around the conference.

We're gearing up for FOCUS24 to kick off tomorrow! With only one more sleep, make sure you have followed us across all channels for all the latest updates, session highlights and exhibitor benefits you can stomach! See you from 12pm 🫶

Every 19 minutes, an Australian experiences a stroke, an event that can fundamentally alter their life. Join the fight against stroke this November with Stride4Stroke. Fundraise, form communities and get moving for 30 days to raise awareness about the importance of stroke prevention. Evidence shows that exercise can lower stroke risk by up to 27 per cent, making physiotherapy a key component in both prevention and long-term recovery support. Through goal setting, assessments and the promotion of ongoing physical, cognitive and emotional recovery, physiotherapy aids stroke survivors to regain independence. Sign up to Stride4Stroke today and to learn more about the role of physiotherapy in stroke management, check out our recent fact sheet https://bit.ly/3A5mefh

Are you watching Plum on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)? Highlighting the impactful nature of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), this fictional series follows a retired football legend and his experience with a ‘brain disease’ post-diagnosis. Understand physiotherapists’ role in the CTE space by reading the Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement 2024: https://bit.ly/3C7DqBa

The Queensland election is fast approaching. The APA has written to all the major parties and delivered an election statement brimming with smart reforms. In this op-ed, APA National President Scott Willis GAICD outlines the value of physiotherapy to combatting hospital strain, preventing and managing chronic disease and other state health priorities. https://bit.ly/48jWfgC

Get to know keynote speaker Suzanne Rath APAM at FOCUS24, next week! Suzanne Rath is an award-winning business owner of four multi-disciplinary clinics in Cairns and Cooktown. She has a side gig as a physiotherapist with over 18 years of clinical experience, whose career has taken her from Ireland, via Uganda, to Australia. As a leader, she has achieved her vision of having an innovative practice and multi-disciplinary team, intending to make far north Queensland the healthiest region in Australia. Suzanne’s FOCUS24 conference talk, ‘Stop giving, start living. Quit needing to be everything to your team’, aims to highlight the importance of mental health and the symptoms of burnout. Don’t miss the plethora of learning opportunities at FOCUS24! View the full program here: https://bit.ly/3Y5MDBC

To ensure the healthcare system is equitable, inclusive and welcoming for all bodies, it’s paramount to be mindful of the language used when treating larger patients. Ill-chosen language can be harmful and create barriers for vulnerable community members, as many with larger bodies often avoid or refuse to receive necessary medical treatment due to biases and the stigma they face within the healthcare system. Given the impact words have on individuals’ wellbeing and recovery, choose them carefully. Read more about cultivating effective and empathetic treatment in our InMotion article: https://bit.ly/3U8qFN5

Do you relate to 41 per cent of the Australian population having creaky knees? Although the cause of knee crepitus or creaky knees is yet to be determined by researchers, La Trobe University researcher and physiotherapist Jamon Couch APAM, reveals the importance of exercising despite the audible crackling. ‘If it’s not painful, it’s likely not doing any damage,’ says Couch. Read more about Jamon’s research and findings here: https://bit.ly/3Nya9SV

Did you know that one in three people over 65 will fall every year? Listen to APA President-Elect Rik Dawson’s discussion about the importance of preventing and treating falls, with Nightlife Health ABC. Rik shares the need to prioritise falls within the healthcare system as they represent 43 per cent of injury hospitalisations and 42 per cent of injury deaths. Learn more and access Rik’s resources here: https://bit.ly/48eWnhu Listen here: https://ab.co/3NxmNBF.