Physio at the crossroads

31 Dec, 2021

The full program for the 2019 Tasmanian Branch Symposium is now available and features a diverse array of speakers bringing their clinical and research expertise to the day’s focus on perspectives and challenges in managing patients with chronic persistent pain.

Lorimer Moseley, FACP, will deliver a keynote presentation about physiotherapy and the Pain Revolution. Lorimer will touch on some exciting developments in our understanding of how the immune system and nervous system collaborate to protect us in a way that affects both movement and pain.

He will discuss some of the complexities that have arisen with the increasing endorsement of the biopsychosocial model of health and the common barriers to implementing biopsychosocial care. He will propose that in this area physiotherapy is at an interesting crossroads. Many physiotherapists are faced with difficult choices about how they think about pain and how they go about treatment. Lorimer will argue that physiotherapists have a unique opportunity to continue to push the field forward, but to do so will require you to embrace the science and take more seriously your role as health educators, one for which your knowledge, skills, credibility and access are ideal.

Local invited speakers will also highlight some of the challenges they face and strategies utilised, which have been found helpful to overcome the challenges in working with patients with persistent pain. Speakers include APA members Dinah Spratt and Megan Clarke, pharmacologist Dr Felicity Veal, general practitioner Dr Alison Fletcher, psychologist Bernadette Smith, and APA Director Scott Willis.

Following the forum program, Lorimer will launch the start of the Pain Revolution Tour with additional presentations for health professionals and the public from Lorimer and the team.