Musculoskeletal and joint conditions are the second-highest burden of disease in Australia, representing 521,286 years of healthy life lost among the population (AIHW, 2016).
Many people are having joint surgery for problems like osteoarthritis. The need for physiotherapy before and after surgery is becoming more widely recognised, as is physiotherapy’s role in preventing issues from progressing to the surgery stage.
The best way to stay on top of the rapidly growing area of orthopaedics is to remain connected to those who are working in it every day. The Orthopaedic group is an easy and affordable way for you to do this.
Members of the group receive quarterly emails written by other physiotherapists working in this area. You’ll receive news of opportunities, relevant research articles, resources and updates on committee activities around the country.
Online and face-to-face professional development is also offered at a discount. There are many joint courses organised with other national groups, allowing you to maintain your knowledge across a breadth of areas.
The role of physiotherapy in orthopaedics is growing. Physiotherapists have a great many skills to contribute to this area, and the evidence base for physiotherapy-directed care before and after surgery is becoming recognised globally.
We try to provide this knowledge to members by offering opportunities to learn and network, organising high quality professional development and collaborating on a biannual APA conference program with our colleagues in related disciplines.
There are many opportunities to be involved in shaping the future of the Orthopaedic Physiotherapy group. You can take on leadership positions on state or national committees and provide direction on professional development activities.
Every two years, the APA conference scientific committee works to produce a high quality program for each area of physiotherapy, including orthopaedics, giving you another opportunity to influence this area of the profession.