As a physiotherapist, educator and advocate, Sam Suke MACP has devoted his career to ensuring people—especially the elderly—maintain their mobility, confidence and independence. 

His journey, however, began long before he established himself as a leading figure in physiotherapy.

Unlike many teenagers still exploring career paths, Sam was certain at 15 that he wanted to be a physiotherapist. 

Encouraged by his mentor, Alicia Tang MACP, he started as a sports trainer, which gave him early exposure to injury management and rehabilitation. 

That experience solidified his determination to become a physiotherapist, and he successfully entered Monash University’s physiotherapy program straight out of school.

From the outset, Sam had ambitious goals. At just 17 he was telling people that he intended to open his own physiotherapy practice one day. 

His early aspirations were not just dreams but a clear roadmap that he was determined to follow. His high school yearbook quote (see below) foreshadowed his drive to make a difference. 

He would go on to turn that ambition into reality. 

‘Having a clear direction early in life did make things easier in a sense,’ Sam says. 

‘I liked having a bit of pressure. Following a dream was helpful in driving me forward.’

Dream becomes reality

Sam, an APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, founded Exercise Thought in Lilydale, Melbourne in 2020 with the vision of creating a non-clinical space that focuses on holistic and preventative care. 

With the help of family and friends, he transformed his dream into a thriving practice. His godfather and a family friend contributed to the clinic’s design, his parents helped paint the walls and his uncle built the consultation rooms and windows. 

‘I didn’t do it alone, that’s for sure,’ Sam says. 

‘There were a good number of people who helped and who were willing to recommend my services as well, which made it happen.’

Exercise Thought, Sam says, was created not just to treat injuries but to prevent them. 

An excerpt from Sam Suke's yearbook.

One of the key initiatives Sam started was a falls and balance class, held for free in Lilydale’s Melba Park. 

It was an idea borne out of his grandmother’s experience of falls during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

‘In the early COVID-19 times, my grandparents both fell over. My grandfather had been falling over for decades but never hurt himself. He was quite unfussed by it,’ Sam says.

‘But my grandmother fell over once and was petrified that she would fall over again. 

'Her world shrank immediately and, by virtue of the COVID lockdowns, I was not permitted to see her face-to-face. 

'We did video consultations and that helped to a degree, but it became obvious that the social isolation combined with the fear of falling shortened her life dramatically.’

Initially, Sam stood alone in the Lilydale park with a blackboard that read ‘Free falls and balance class’. 

After three weeks, word spread about the free class and more people joined; a new record was set recently when 40 people attended. The class continues to be held every week in Melba Park—come rain, hail or shine. 

Sam says the weekly falls class has also had an impact on participants in some unexpected ways. 

‘The participants have begun sharing lunch together afterwards, and they talk about not only being more confident physically in getting off the ground, but they also describe having friendships and a great mental acuity because of their regular participation in the class.’

Fresh perspective on falls

Sam likes to challenge conventional thinking about falls. 

Rather than attempting to eliminate falls altogether, he advocates for a different mindset—teaching people how to recover from a fall safely and confidently. 

He emphasises that falls are an inevitable part of life, and the key is to reduce their impact rather than fear them.

‘Falls are inevitable,’ Sam says. ‘At one point, all of us will fall over and not get back up. That’s life and death. 

'The solution is not to prevent or be afraid of the fall, but to accept that we will fall and to practise strategies and exercises that reduce the impact and the risk of those falls.’

Through his classes, Sam has helped countless people regain the ability to get off the ground independently, sometimes for the first time in decades. 

‘There’s something about getting familiar with the floor and the empowerment of knowing that you—not relying on a chair, or a friend or a loved one—can get off the floor. It builds confidence,’ Sam says.

Giving back is key

Beyond his direct patient care, Sam has hosted or mentored more than 250 student physiotherapists at Exercise Thought and he is a strong believer in the power of hands-on learning.

‘The most important lesson for physios entering the profession is the necessity of hands-on experience,’ he says. 

‘Unfortunately, the insurance around the university system makes it difficult for universities to give students a large amount of hands-on experience before they graduate. 

'So the responsibility falls to the student to seek out that hands-on experience.

‘I remain hopeful that more universities will adopt the use of student clinics, which are proven to produce work-ready practitioners, or explore the “apprenticeship style” of education used in older, more established trades.’

Sam’s research interests have also evolved over time, spanning tendon pain, the impact of language on pain perception and the role of faith and belief in healing. 

Sam Suke speaking at a recent conference.

Sam argues that if any physiotherapist does not first believe in a person’s potential to recover, they may inadvertently limit that person’s healing capacity. 

‘If we, as physiotherapists, do not have faith in a person’s ability to recover from an injury or overcome their pain then we actually limit the healing potential of that person,’ he says.

Sam’s contributions to the field have not gone unnoticed. In 2022 he was named Australian Physiotherapist of the Year at the Allied Health Awards, a recognition that he described as both validating and surprising. 

‘On the one hand, it seems like fluff and bubble,’ Sam says of the award. 

‘On the other hand, it’s encouraging that we recognise one another for the contributions that we make.’ 

Exercise Thought was also awarded Australian Physiotherapy Practice of the Year in 2023.

Sam’s leadership extends beyond his clinic: he takes on roles within the APA, of which he was a student member and remains
a member since graduating in 2014.

With the APA, Sam is advocating for the profession’s advancement. 

‘If the APA and the physiotherapy profession had not been advocating for itself, and for the people whom we serve, we would not have been permitted to operate in the way that we did during the COVID-19 pandemic,’ Sam says. 

‘If we don’t continue to advocate for the people that we serve, and for our own profession, we won’t realise the full potential of physiotherapy.’

A new chapter in Denmark Sam has recently been living in Denmark, where he has been learning from leading physiotherapists, including those working with the Danish royal family. 

The move was driven by personal and professional reasons—his wife, Christina, is Danish and together they are expecting their first child this month.

Sam has been travelling between Denmark and Australia for some time, working on the business here while also pursuing research and learning in Denmark. 

When InMotion spoke with Sam, he had attended the fifth anniversary of Exercise Thought the day before. 

The milestone was, Sam says, the perfect opportunity to gather together those who had been a part of the practice’s journey for a fun celebration, and to reflect on just how far they had come.

Sam’s journey, from determined teenager to a globally minded physiotherapy leader, illustrates the power of passion, community and innovation. 

‘We need a healthy dose of cowboys,’ Sam says, in reference to the need for bold thinking within the physiotherapy profession.

Sam’s commitment to falls prevention, patient-centred care and global physiotherapy access continues to hold sway.

‘I read the InMotion article wherein [APA Board Member] Melissa McConaghy recalls being called a “cowboy” for innovating Parkinson’s treatment,’ he says. 

‘Melissa’s experience reminded me of times where I’ve shaken the tree of physiotherapy or thrown caution and reputation to the wind in the service of advancing the profession. 

'Being willing to take a risk in service of the profession is something I think we could do a little bit more of.’