A&K Rehab

22/07/2025

The gluteal muscles are vital for getting us up and about, yet humanity’s increasingly sedentary lifestyle is leading to neglect of our glute health

03/07/2025

05/06/2025

Join us in "From Stroke to Strength: A Journey of Recovery" as we follow the inspiring transformation of those who face the daunting challenges of stroke rehabilitation. Witness the powerful journey from the initial onset of a stroke, through the trials of recovery, to finally reclaiming a vibrant life within the community.

Embrace the spirit of determination and witness how support systems play a vital role in recovery.

28/05/2025

Systematic review found that physiotherapy specific exercise approaches improved body posture, trunk deformity, and quality of life in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

🟠 Idiopathic scoliosis is a S-shaped curvature of the spine, defined as having a Cobb angle of 10 degrees or more. Conventional rehabilitation approaches to managing idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents vary but may include physiotherapy specific exercise (PSSE) approaches, including Schroth therapy. The most effective approach for improving body, trunk deformity, and quality of life remains uncertain. This systematic review aimed to determine the efficacy of PSEE in improving the Cobb angle in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis compared to conventional rehabilitation.

🟠 Trials included: RCTs comparing any rehabilitation based on PSSE (e.g., Schroth therapy) with conventional rehabilitation (e.g., brace therapy); adolescents diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis according to the 2016 SOSORT guidelines. Primary outcome was Cobb angle; other outcomes were angle of trunk rotation (ATR), quality of life. Trial quality was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Certainty of evidence was not evaluated.

🟠 17 trials (724 participants) were included in the meta-analyses . Interventions ranged from 30-90 minutes per session, 1-7 days a week for 6-52 weeks. Compared to conventional rehabilitation, PSSE approaches improved Cobb angle (SMD = -1.11, 95% CI: -1.59 to -0.64), ATR (SMD = -1.05, 95% CI: -1.52 to -0.58), quality of life (SMD = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.16 to 1.07). Subgroup analysis showed significant improvement in Cobb angle and ATR when the duration of rehabilitation was 6-24 weeks or more than 24 weeks. Risk of bias was rated as high or unclear for all trials and the certainty of evidence was not evaluated.

🟠 This review found that PSSE approaches are superior to conventional rehabilitation. PSSE showed greater improvements when the treatment lasted 6 weeks or more.

Access the full summary in the PEDro blog: https://pedro.org.au/english/systematic-review-found-that-physiotherapy-specific-exercise-approaches-improved-body-posture-trunk-deformity-and-quality-of-life-in-adolescents-with-idiopathic-scoliosis/

23/05/2025

Systematic review found that prehabilitation reduced postoperative pulmonary and all cause complications in patients with sarcopenia or frailty undergoing elective upper abdominal surgery. Prehabilitation with exercise reduced hospital length of stay.

🔸 Prehabilitation aims to reduce recovery time after upper abdominal surgery and can also improve eligibility for patients who would otherwise not qualify for surgery. The review investigated the effect of prehabilitation on patients with sarcopenia or frailty undergoing elective upper abdominal surgery on post operative outcomes compared to those not undergoing prehabilitation.

🔸 The review included randomised controlled trials published from 2000 with no language restriction, adults with sarcopenia or frailty undergoing upper abdominal surgery; interventions were physical therapy, nutritional therapy, psychosocial, anaemia-related, respiratory therapy; outcome measures were post-operative pulmonary complications (PPC) and all-cause complications, hospital and intensive care length of stay (LOS), functional capacity; the comparator was no prehabilitation. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute 13-point critical appraisal checklist. Meta-analysis was performed using random effect model, heterogeneity was performed using I2 and sensitivity analysis was also performed.

🔸 10 trials of 1503 participants were included. Study quality ranged between 8 and 13 on the JBI critical appraisal checklist.

🔸 Compared to no prehabilitation, prehabilitation resulted in lower odds of developing PPCs; reduced the odds of all cause complications (OR -0.21, 95% CI -0.475 to 0.055, I2 = 41.06%); and resulted a slight reduction in hospital LOS (SMD -0.91, 95% CI -1.67 to -0.14) when exercise was included in prehabilitation.

🔸 There is good quality evidence that prehabilitation reduces the risk of PPCs and moderate quality evidence that exercise included in prehabilitation reduces hospital LOS slightly.

Access the full summary in the PEDro blog: https://pedro.org.au/english/systematic-review-found-that-prehabilitation-reduced-postoperative-pulmonary-and-all-cause-complications-in-patients-with-sarcopenia-or-frailty-undergoing-elective-upper-abdominal-surgery-prehabilita

25/02/2025

Every day, 58 Australians receive a breast cancer diagnosis and 9 people die from this disease.

Do you understand physiotherapy’s role in the breast cancer space?

Refresh your knowledge with Dharani Nagarajan APAM, Germaine Tan MACP, Leah McIntyre APAM, Lizzie Eastwood APAM and Kirsty Kirkland APAM of the APA Cancer, Palliative Care and Lymphoedema group, as they present five discussion points about physiotherapy before, during and after treatment for breast cancer.

Read on: https://australian.physio/inmotion/five-facts-about-physiotherapy-and-breast-cancer.

This infographic is a Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) initiative supported by FlexEze Heat Wrap Therapy – a partner of the PRF.

19/12/2024

If you’re an older, physically inactive woman, you may be at risk of osteosarcopenia.

Although prevalent among older women, osteosarcopenia affects 37 per cent of elderly people.

Understand the importance of screening, exercise and how physiotherapy can aid in managing this debilitating condition, with APA Gerontology national group members Hannah Sharma APAM, Hannanja van der Veer APAM, Caitlin McDonald APAM and Alison Reading MACP.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4go2MtV.

This infographic is a Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) initiative supported by FlexEze Heat Wrap Therapy – a partner of the PRF.

06/11/2024

This month, Dr Sonia Cheng, chair of the APA Cardiorespiratory national group, and Dr Lisa Pagano share the importance of spirometry and assessing lung health within the physiotherapy space.

Understand lung function with this infographic and see what you can do as a physiotherapist or primary care practitioner, with The Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF)’s article featured in the latest edition of InMotion.

This is a PRF initiative supported by FlexEze Heat Wrap Therapy – a PRF partner.

Learn more:https://bit.ly/4ehsgaD