Adrian Cush MACP’s pathway into physiotherapy began the way it often does for active young Australians—on the sports field. 

A rugby union player who was often on the receiving end of big tackles, Adrian found himself in physiotherapy rooms more than once.

But one injury in particular helped shape the course of his future.

‘I played rugby union growing up in Canberra and as a fly-half, I was one of the smaller players so I’d often get injuries from making tackles against much bigger players. 

'When I was 15, I fractured my fibula and needed to see a physio for a few months. I remember being really impressed with how knowledgeable my physio was and I suppose that was the inception of the idea of becoming a physio one day.’

That early appreciation for what physiotherapy could offer, combined with a desire to stay connected to the sporting world, put the seal on the decision. 

After graduating with his Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Adrian landed a graduate role at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, where he discovered a passion for public work.

‘I was so lucky to have St Vincent’s as my first experience of working in a public hospital. 

'I rotated through the various areas of the hospital but my time in musculoskeletal outpatients made an indelible impact on me.

'The team leader had completed his Master of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland (UQ) and had impressive clinical reasoning skills.’

Adrian later relocated to Brisbane and continued in rotational roles at the Prince Charles Hospital, working in the ICU, in the lung transplant and cystic fibrosis wards, and in cardiac, neurological and musculoskeletal outpatients. 

He completed his Master of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy at UQ in 2015 and eventually became an advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapist, a title he has held since 2016. 

Adrian returned to UQ once again to complete a Master of Sports Physiotherapy in 2017.

Since 2019, Adrian has also worked as a clinical educator in the Master of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy programs for both UQ and La Trobe University. 

In this role, he encourages students to focus on doing the simple things well—an approach that mirrors his own clinical philosophy. 

‘There’s a temptation to think the most complex treatment is the most effective. 

'But often, it’s doing the basics consistently and clearly that actually helps patients the most.’

The APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and APA Titled Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist says he was driven to deepen his clinical knowledge to better serve a broad range of people.

‘I knew I wanted to be better at a specific type of physio and it seemed that musculoskeletal offered the most. 

'The knowledge you gain from musculoskeletal is applicable to helping many, many people—not just those with sporting injuries, but friends, family or anyone who needs some guidance.’

Adrian is a firm believer in the benefits of simple, practical advice and his clinical philosophy is focused on education that patients can understand and apply. 

‘I tell patients there are three things they should be able to answer when they leave—“What’s wrong with me?” “What am I doing that’s making it worse?” and “What can I do to make it better?”

'If they can’t answer those, there’s a good chance they’ll be back saying, “It still hurts and I have no idea why.”’

Working in the hospital setting allows Adrian the time and team support needed to offer this kind of patient-centred education.

Compared to private practice, where he says sessions can feel isolating, public health offers a rich, collaborative environment.

‘When you work in the public system, you have your set morning teas, your set lunches and meetings, you have your corridor conversations, and all of that just makes working more enjoyable. 

'You’ve got a colleague who says, “Come and check out this X-ray” or “Have a look at this MRI”. You’re both learning from that.’

Adrian ran two private practices earlier in his career, often working evenings after hospital shifts to save for overseas travel. 

While he values those experiences, he says his heart has always been with the public system.

With his wife Laurence and daughter Pierrette, Adrian embraces his new family life.

‘The thing I love about working in these public physiotherapy screening clinics is that there are no ulterior motives or distorting incentives. 

'We don’t make any money from advising people to have surgery or to not have surgery. It’s basically just “How can we give this person the best advice?” 

'That’s how healthcare should work.’

That clarity of purpose has kept Adrian passionate about public health. 

‘One of the best things about public health physiotherapy is that the focus is on ensuring that the patient leaves the appointment with the knowledge they need to self-manage their condition.’

Through his current work at the QEII’s orthopaedic screening clinic, Adrian regularly encounters patients who were expecting surgery. 

He sees these moments as opportunities to show patients what physiotherapy has to offer.

‘Sometimes people are annoyed that they’re even coming in to see a physio because they were referred to an orthopaedic
surgeon,’ he says. 

‘But once they feel listened to and understand that our role is to help them navigate the healthcare system, they’re generally very appreciative.’

It is a challenge that Adrian is up for and an area where he feels physiotherapists can make a genuine difference. 

‘When I first started in this advanced musculoskeletal role, I’d do a thorough initial assessment and refer them on for treatment, but I definitely wasn’t prioritising education. 

'Then when they came for their review appointment and hadn’t improved, I realised what was missing. 

'The patients did not understand their own condition and how to manage it.’

In many ways Adrian’s relatability with patients stems from having been in their shoes. 

His own injury history—from tendon issues and back pain to a dislocated shoulder and fractured bones—helps him connect more deeply with those he treats.

‘I’ve experienced a lot of these problems myself. So when a patient is telling me about their osteitis pubis or tendinopathy symptoms, I can empathise with what they’re actually feeling. 

'Having had my fair share of injuries has probably made me a better physio—not that I recommend trying to fracture your way into clinical empathy. I think it’s just part and parcel of being active.’

Staying active remains a core part of Adrian’s lifestyle. 

He cycles to work, plays touch football and continues to volunteer as a sports trainer for UQ’s women’s rugby union team, where his wife Laurence is a player.

‘I originally covered the men’s team as part of my sports master’s but I was missing a lot of my wife’s games. 

'It just made more sense to cover the women’s games. 

'The players are very grateful to have a physio there who can help them diagnose an injury quickly and give the right advice early.’

Becoming a father to his daughter Pierrette has added a new perspective. But it hasn’t slowed Adrian down. 

If anything, it has given him new motivation to stay active. 

‘Last night, I was doing sprints on the street and I was pretty fatigued. My wife said, “Are you going to come in for dinner?” and I said, “Can you just bring Pierrette out and hold her at the top of the street?” 

'I was using her as my motivation to push through for two more sprints. 

'Hopefully, when she’s older, she’ll remember watching me exercise and just think it’s normal. 

'Although I must confess, the sight of me sprinting up the street in the dark alongside our dog was probably more traumatic than inspirational.’

That blend of humour and dedication spills into Adrian’s approach to care. 

Whether he is writing rehabilitation plans or explaining step counts to patients, Adrian tries not to complicate anything. 

‘Keeping it simple is underrated in physio. 

'Sometimes the piece of information that makes the biggest difference is so simple that they think “Why did I pay for that?” 

'Like telling someone with a knee arthritis flare-up to reduce their steps by half for two weeks. That could be the game changer.

'But there’s no conference keynote called “Keep it simple, physio”—though maybe that’s the one we all need. 

'It’d probably have the best outcomes and the worse attendance. Physios love learning complicated theories or techniques. 

'But sometimes, just giving someone simple advice is more effective than any complicated technique.’

Looking ahead, Adrian is hopeful about the direction of physiotherapy within public health. 

New advanced roles are keeping experienced clinicians engaged and expanding what physiotherapists can offer in complex cases.

‘It’s exciting that more of these advanced roles are being created. It motivates good physios to stay in the profession longer. 

'We often hear statistics about the high attrition rate for people who don’t finish their career as physios. 

'Having these advanced roles incentivises the really experienced and knowledgeable physios to keep working.’

For Adrian, that ongoing contribution comes down to one thing: helping people understand and trust their own capacity for healing. 

‘It’s about giving someone information that they couldn’t find anywhere else. 

'Patients appreciate it when you take the time to explain things properly at their health literacy level. 

'Sometimes a few good minutes of conversation can change everything.’