Two older people walking along a path in a picturesque park with both facing away from us one using walking sticks

Older Australians are five times more likely to die from a fall than on the road

May 2024

Does the imbalance in funding for road safety and falls indicate that Australians don’t value the health of older women?

person holding two bars to assist with walking while medical professional stands to the left providing assistance

Johns courage to be recognised at national awards

April 2024

A Drysdale survivor of stroke who made it his mission to walk again in time to farewell his mother has been recognised for his courage.

During this difficult time, John turned his grief into motivation and set himself a goal to walk out of rehabilitation to attend his mother's funeral. To the surprise of doctors and physiotherapists, John achieved this after just only three weeks of rehabilitation.

Magnifying glass on a yellow speckled background with the text health care news

The Zap – from spinal surgery to scope of practice, a comprehensive update of the latest health and aged care news

April 2024

This week brings a new feature at The Zap, in response to reader feedback: a list of consultations that we hope will be helpful for Croakey readers. Please keep us updated of any new ones to add.

Charles Maskell-Knight also reviews concerns about spinal surgery and aged care reform, brings the latest data on food consumption trends, and reports that the Australian College of Nursing has been 'in the news for all the wrong reasons'.

view of the torso or a person sitting on a purple yoga mat holding the right side of their back

Exploring Alternatives for Chronic Back Pain Relief

April 2024

This week's ABC Four Corners episode Pain Factory highlighted that our health system is failing Australians with chronic pain. Patients are receiving costly, ineffective and risky care instead of effective, low-risk treatments for chronic pain.

APA statement

APA statement

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is deeply troubled to learn that former director of the APA Board, Darren Rivett, has been sanctioned by the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for his behaviour in 2019 that has been found to constitute professional misconduct. 

An older woman sits on a couch holding her knee and grimacing in pain

Plea for pain sufferers: More support for non-surgical interventions

In a flash poll conducted by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), over 90 per cent of physiotherapists said they have treated patients suffering after unnecessary and potentially harmful surgeries. This comes following a confronting exposé of Australia’s chronic pain industry on ABC Four Corners, which highlighted potential overuse of surgical procedures, despite physiotherapy treatment being considered part of best practice.

children in sportswear in a team huddle

Bulldogs, ASICS team up to provide footwear to Ballarat’s junior football teams

The Western Bulldogs and their apparel partner, ASICS Oceania is pleased to announce they will be gifting underage football players in Ballarat with free ASICS footwear.  

Player with knee brace holding water bottle

Researchers take a step towards less invasive ACL injury therapy

Anyone who follows sport will know what the dreaded phase 'ACL tear' means.

Rugby players on the field

Football codes' lack of response to AIS concussion guidelines leaves players in limbo for 2024 season

It was party time for the NRL amid the glittering lights of Sin City, while just days earlier another sin was being laid bare by former star NRL players whose lives had been destroyed by repeated concussions. That sin was the cavalier disregard rugby league, indeed all s ports, showed when an athlete suffered a concussion.

Joint update from the APA and ESSA: A message to our members

We write today to share a joint update with our respective members of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA).