Exercise as medicine: from cancer diagnosis to recovery

Read the InMotion article here

1. Courneya KS, Vardy JL, O'Callaghan CJ, Gill S, Friedenreich CM, Wong RKS, Dhillon HM, Coyle V, Chua NS, Jonker DJ, Beale PJ, Haider K, Tang PA, Bonaventura T, Wong R, Lim HJ, Burge ME, Hubay S, Sanatani M, Campbell KL, Arthuso FZ, Turner J, Meyer RM, Brundage M, O'Brien P, Tu D, Booth CM; CHALLENGE Investigators. Structured Exercise after Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2025 Jul 3;393(1):13-25. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2502760. Epub 2025 Jun 1. PMID: 40450658.
2. Tan G, et al 2026. Finding the right time to initiate exercise rehabilitation following a cancer diagnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiotherapy, 2026; 132
3. Cormie, P., et al., Clinical Oncology Society of Australia position statement on exercise in cancer care. Med J Aust, 2018. 209(4):  p.184-187. doi: 10.5694/mja18.00199
4. Hayes S et al 2019. The Exercise and Sports Science Australia position statement: Exercise medicine in cancer management. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2019; 22, 1175-1199 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.05.003
5. McIsaac DI, Kidd G, Gillis C, Branje K, Al-Bayati M, Baxi A, Grudzinski AL, Boland L, Veroniki AA, Wolfe D, Hutton B. Relative efficacy of prehabilitation interventions and their components: systematic review with network and component network meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2025 Jan 22;388:e081164. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2024-081164. PMID: 39843215; PMCID: PMC11752451.

Five facts about physiotherapy and anxiety

Read the InMotion article here

1. Jones, B., Heslop, D. & Harrison, R. Seldom heard voices: a meta-narrative systematic review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples healthcare experiences. Int J Equity Health 19, 222 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01334-w
2. Shaw SC, Carravallah L, Johnson M, O'Sullivan J, Chown N, Neilson S, Doherty M. Barriers to healthcare and a 'triple empathy problem' may lead to adverse outcomes for autistic adults: A qualitative study. Autism. 2024 Jul;28(7):1746-1757. doi: 10.1177/13623613231205629. Epub 2023 Oct 17. PMID: 37846479; PMCID: PMC11191657.
3. Bontempo, A. C., Bontempo, J. M., & Duberstein, P. R. (2025). Ignored, dismissed, and minimized: Understanding the harmful consequences of invalidation in health care—A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative research. Psychological Bulletin, 151(4), 399.
4. Mezzalira, S., Quintigliano, M., Cruciani, G., Lorusso, M. M., Bochicchio, V., Carone, N., & Scandurra, C. (2026). Health-promoting and adverse pathways in the healthcare experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals: a qualitative investigation. Psychology & Sexuality, 17(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2025.2527644
5. Heywood, S., Bunzli, S., Dillon, M., Bicchi, N., Black, S., Hemus, P., Bogatek, E., & Setchell, J. (2025). Trauma-informed physiotherapy and the principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment: A qualitative study. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 41(1), 153–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2024.2315521
6. McBeath, B., Chapdelaine, S., Brabant, L., Desmeules, F., Cherrier, S., & Lévesque, M. C. (2026). Advancing the practice of cultural safety in physiotherapy: a scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 48(14), 4279-4294.
7. Ross, M. H., & Setchell, J. (2025). Developing an Online Education Resource to Enhance Physical Therapists’ Use of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Other Related Identities Affirming Care: A Mixed Methods Study. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 39(4), 320. https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000394
8. Shear, T., Ayoub, M., Cejas, D., Christy, A., Holler-Managan, Y., Labrie, U., King, H., & Kim, Y.-M. (2025). Neurodiversity-Affirming Clinical Care: Principles and Pearls. Journal of Child Neurology, 40(9), 799–803. https://doi.org/10.1177/08830738251340268
9. Nicholls, D. A., & Gibson, B. E. (2010). The body and physiotherapy. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 26(8), 497–509. https://doi.org/10.3109/09593981003710316
10. Justice, C., Sullivan, M. B., Van Demark, C. B., Davis, C. M., & Erb, M. (2023). Guiding Principles for the Practice of Integrative Physical Therapy. Physical therapy, 103(12), pzad138. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzad138
11. Probst, M. (2017). Physiotherapy and Mental Health. In Clinical Physical Therapy. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/67595
12. Arrigoni, A., Rossettini, G., Palese, A., Thacker, M., & Esteves, J. E. (2024). Exploring the role of therapeutic alliance and biobehavioural synchrony in musculoskeletal care: Insights from a qualitative study. Musculoskeletal science & practice, 73, 103164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2024.103164
13. Alaiti RK, Reis FJJ, Arruda-Sanchez T, Caneiro JP & Meulders A (2025). Unravelling the role of fear and avoidance behaviour in chronic musculoskeletal pain: from theory to physical therapy clinical practice. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy, 29(3), 101197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjpt.2025.101197
14. Lu J, Kobelsky E, Fung J, Sogomonian T, Edger-Lacoursière Z & Nedelec B (2025). Rehabilitation interventions for fear-avoidance beliefs and behaviours in sudden-onset musculoskeletal conditions: a scoping review. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 46(3), 620–641. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/iraf009
15. McGrath RL, Shephard S, Parnell T, Verdon S & Pope R (2024a). Recommended approaches to assessing and managing physiotherapy clients experiencing psychological distress: a systematic mapping review. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 40(11), 2670–2700. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2023.2284823
16. Ramos-Sanchez CP, Schuch FB, Seedat S, Louw QA, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, Firth J, van Winkel R & Vancampfort D (2021). The anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and related disorders: an update of the available meta-analytic evidence. Psychiatry Research, 302, 114046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114046
17. Vancampfort D, Firth J, Stubbs B, Schuch F, Rosenbaum S, Hallgren M, Deenik J, Ward PB, Mugisha J, Van Damme T & Werneck AO (2025). The efficacy, mechanisms and implementation of physical activity as an adjunctive treatment in mental disorders: a meta-review of outcomes, neurobiology and key determinants. World Psychiatry, 24(2), 227–239. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21314
18. DOH (2017) hwd.health.gov.au/resources/publications/factsheet-alld-physiotherapists-2017.pdf
19. Equally Well Australia - Physical Health Needs of People Living with Mental Health Condition, www.equallywell.org.au/resources/physical-health-needs-of-people-living-with-mental-health-conditions/
20. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Prevalence and impact of mental illness. 2026. aihw.gov.au/mental-health/overview/prevalence-and-impact-of-mental-illness
21. Heywood, S., McPhail, S., & Rahman, A. (2024). Trauma‑informed physiotherapy: A qualitative ethnographic study exploring safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration and empowerment. PLOS ONE, 19(1), e0296223. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296223
22. McGrath, R. L., Parnell, T., Verdon, S., & Pope, R. (2024b). “We take on people’s emotions”: A qualitative study of physiotherapists’ experiences with patients experiencing psychological distress. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 40(2), 304–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2022.2116964
23. Stapinski, L. A., Abbott, M. J., & Rapee, R. M. (2010). Evaluating the cognitive avoidance model of generalised anxiety disorder: Impact of worry on threat appraisal, perceived control and anxious arousal. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(10), 1032–1040. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2010.07.005

ACTIVATE reaches consensus on physical activity

Read the InMotion article here

1. Bricca A, Aadahl M, Skou ST, et al (2026). ACTIVATE: physical activity assessment, prescription and promotion in clinical practice by healthcare professionals – a consensus study initiated by the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2026;60:629-639.
2. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020.
3. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (n.d.). 24-hour movement guidelines for all Australians. https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity/24-hour-movement-guidelines-for-all-australians?language=en updated on 26 April 2026, last accessed on 17 August 2026.