Arthritis costs the Australian economy $23.9 billion annually, and is the major cause of chronic pain and disability in Australia. However, patients living remotely and those with mobility issues cannot access Medicare or private health insurance rebates for video consultation with their physiotherapist, despite growing evidence that digital health treatment options are effective. On World Arthritis Day, Friday 12 October, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is calling for increased treatment access for sufferers.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association says a lack of funds is preventing arthritis sufferers in the country — whose treatment costs $23.9 billion every year — from being treated with digital health options which have been found to be effective.

American magazine Reader’s Digest has come under fire for an “ageist” article it published, which suggested seniors are ailing creatures who aren’t fit enough for rigorous exercises anymore. 

Health experts have hit back at "ageist" exercise recommendations, which advise Territorians over the age of 50 to avoid certain movements. The Australian Physiotherapy Association said exercise programs should be based on individual ability and needs, rather than age.

Incontinence of urine or faeces can affecr both men and women of all ages, however the incidence rises significantly among the elderly. This does not mean that it should be considered a natural and expected part of ageing—loss of bladder or bowel control is not normal. 

Counter to advice in a recent Reader’s Digest article, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) advises that exercise programs should be based on individual ability and needs, rather than age.

Regular physical activity is as important for maintaining our health, as it is our brains, especially as we age. We all know that regular exercise can have both immediate and long-term benefits for our health. However, research shows that physically, one in three women over 50 and one in five men will sustain an osteoporotic fracture in their lives.

Healthy bones and joints enable us to move about freely and without discomfort. Requiring constant maintenance, our skeletal system is constructed of hundreds of moveable parts connected by ligaments and tendons, lubricated and cushioned by cartilage. 

Advice to rest and avoid pain is commonly provided to people with knee and other joint pains - advice that is often wrong, and harmful.

Australian Physiotherapy Association pelvic-health physiotherapist Dr Irmina Nahon wants to reassure incontinence sufferers that help is available, and for them not to be resigned to the condition. Incontinence is one of the most common health conditions affecting Australians, with about six million people in this country experiencing the condition during their lifetime.