Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a largely preventable and treatable—but not fully reversible—lung disease, characterised by a chronic obstruction of lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing. In Australia it affects 638,000 people, accounting for 3.6 per cent of the total disease burden and half of the disease burden due to respiratory conditions, and was responsible for 53,000 hospitalisations in 2021-2022 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2024). Importantly, 87 per cent of people with COPD live with additional chronic conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis and back problems, and hence may be seen by physiotherapists in private practice.

In 2024, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (‘the Commission’) published the first national quality standard for COPD, the COPD Clinical Care Standard. The Standard aims to reduce hospitalisations and improve overall outcomes for people with COPD by supporting best practice in assessment and management of the disease. The Standard has been endorsed by the APA and can be accessed via the Commission’s website.

To assist physiotherapists who might treat patients with COPD, the Physiotherapy Research Foundation has produced an infographic about the role of physiotherapists in COPD treatment and management. For more information about the Standard, read the article in InMotion. 

This infographic is a Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) initiative.

Click on the image below to access a printable A3 file.