Chronic health and disability

The image is of an older woman on an exercise bike.
INMOTION 26 Sep, 2025

APASC2025: Intensity matters

APASC25 keynote speaker Associate Professor Chris Burtin talks to lecturer and physiotherapist Dr Georgina Whish-Wilson about exercise approaches for patients with chronic respiratory conditions.

Why is intensity important when prescribing exercise to patients with chronic respiratory conditions? 

The physiological stimulus to the muscles and heart during exercise is dependent on intensity. 

Therefore your choice of exercise intensity matters. 

A person typing on a keyboard.
INMOTION 25 Sep, 2025

E-learning for hip and knee OA patients

A Seeding Grant recipient is in the final stages of her research project examining the use of e-learning for people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis.

Dr Rachel Nelligan APAM is a clinical physiotherapist and research fellow at the University of Melbourne with an interest in chronic pain. 

‘I was working mainly with people with chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis [OA], which developed into a clinical interest.'

Dr Wei-Ju Chang
INMOTION 24 Sep, 2025

Branching out into physio

From forestry student to senior lecturer and pain researcher, Dr Wei-Ju Chang’s career has been driven by curiosity, compassion and a lifelong determination to improve the lives of his patients through hands-on treatment and cutting-edge research.

Dr Wei-Ju Chang MACP’s entry into tertiary education was not initially driven by a desire to work in healthcare. 

His first year of university in his native Taiwan was spent studying forestry, a choice determined more by entrance exam scores than by a personal passion for it.

A graphic image abstractly representing the organs of the female pelvis
INMOTION 01 Sep, 2025

Persistent pelvic pain and endometriosis

Physiotherapy is increasingly recognised as a treatment for persistent pelvic pain and endometriosis. Four experts from the APA's Women's, Men's and Pelvic Health national group tell us what physiotherapists should know about these conditions and when to seek expert help.

Persistent pelvic pain is a leading health concern for women, girls and other people with a uterus. 

There are a variety of causes but endometriosis is considered to be the predominant condition. 

The image is of someone breathing into a spirometer
INMOTION 29 Aug, 2025

APASC25: Better access to pulmonary rehab

The Journal of Physiotherapy Rob Herbert Oration, a firm fixture on the APA conference program, is delivered by someone who has made a significant contribution to physiotherapy through research, publication and teaching. Journal of Physiotherapy Editor Mark Elkins asks Professor Anne Holland, who will present this year’s oration, about new approaches to pulmonary rehabilitation.

The image is a stylised representation of brain networks.
INMOTION 29 Aug, 2025

APASC25: State of play for FND

Neurological physiotherapist and researcher Dr Tam Levy asks keynote speaker Dr Glenn Nielsen about current research into treatments and interventions for functional neurological disorder.

What are some common misconceptions about functional neurological disorder (FND)? 

Smiling woman sitting in a hospital bed
INMOTION 27 Aug, 2025

Bioethical issues in cancer rehabilitation

A new mixed-methods Italian study explores how physiotherapists navigate bioethical challenges in cancer rehabilitation, revealing a balance between compassionate care, patient autonomy and systemic constraints. First author Gianluca Bertoni answers some questions about the research.

Your study found that compassionate care was the most emphasised ethical principle. How do physiotherapists balance emotional engagement with maintaining professional boundaries, particularly in palliative care settings? 

Woman with cancer walking upstairs
INMOTION 25 Aug, 2025

Delivering structured exercises post-cancer diagnosis

PD PROFILE Professor Anna Campbell, who designed ‘Cancer and exercise rehabilitation’, answers some questions about the course.

Child with leukaemia doing exercises in the living room
INMOTION 30 Jul, 2025

Sarcopaenia and frailty after leukaemia treatment

A recent recipient of a Seeding Grant is investigating sarcopaenia and frailty in the first month of treatment for paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Dr Sarah Grimshaw APAM is a physiotherapist and postdoctoral researcher at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. 

She has a keen interest in paediatric oncology, physical activity interventions and the impact of cancer treatments on children’s physical function and participation. 

Woman sitting on the couch, clutching her knee
INMOTION 30 Jul, 2025

Knee OA risk factors across the life span

A systematic review and meta-analysis have helped to identify major risk factors for knee osteoarthritis in later life.

It is estimated that knee osteoarthritis (OA) affects around 23 per cent of the global population aged 40 years and over, with the individual lifetime risk for symptomatic knee OA as much as 45 per cent. 

Knee OA is a leading cause of disability that also comes at a high cost; in Australia, $3.5 billion is spent annually on treating it and it results in a yearly productivity loss of $424 billion.