October 2010 Physical therapists spring into action on World PT Day What's inside this issue? News PTs spring into action (p1) Development goals conference (p2) Art and health exhibition (p5) New CBR guidelines launched (p6) World PT Day reports (p7) Features Destination: Amsterdam (p11) Congress highlights physical activity (p14) Swedish physiotherapists demonstrate the benefits of movement for health during World PT Day Thousands of physical therapists around the world held events, publicity and campaigns to mark World Physical Therapy Day on 8th September. The theme of "Movement for Health" was used to highlight the impact that physical therapists could have in promoting active aging, and preventing lifestyle-related health problems such as cardiovascular disease. In Sweden, for example (see picture above), there were hundreds of activities – ranging from lectures to lobbying politicians. With the Swedish elections for parliament, counties and municipalities being held at the same time as World Physical Therapy Day, it was an opportunity to raise physiotherapy issues. Preparations started in early spring with the launch of the “No election without movement” campaign. All members of the Swedish Physiotherapy Association had access to a campaign service from the association, and it was possible to order flyers, brochures and T-shirts for free. For the second year running, the association’s journal published a successful “waiting-room journal” with content addressed to patients. All events and media about the events were rapidly published on the official web-site and on Facebook. For further reports about World Physical Therapy Day activities around the world, see World PT Day reports (www.wcpt.org/node/37066). 1 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 Evidence based practice at congress (p16) Region News South America congress (p18) Member News Argentine association focus (p19) Subgroup News Subgroup news in brief (p21) October 2010 UN conference reveals the impact of the global recession UN Under-Secretary-General Kiyo Akasaka addresses the conference in Australia. Picture: Mark Coulson/makinghealthglobal.com.au Jonathan Kruger of the Australian Physiotherapy Association attended a United Nations meeting on the Millennium Development Goals on behalf of WCPT. Here he recounts how he found out about the devastating effect the global financial crisis is having on physical therapists in developing countries. Over the last two years, as the world has weathered the effects of the financial crisis, much attention in developed countries has been inwardly focused on concerns in our regions – such as bank bailouts, mortgage stress and increasing unemployment. Although the crisis has had a very real impact on the lives of many physical therapists in developed countries, it is worth reflecting on how it has affected colleagues living in developing countries. The opportunity to reflect in this way was provided at the 63rd annual United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Government Organisations conference, which I attended on behalf of WCPT. It was held in Melbourne, Australia in late August, and its title was “Advance Global Health: achieve the Millennium Development Goals”. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) arose after world leaders came together at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in September 2000 to adopt the United Nations Millennium Declaration. This committed their respective nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and set out a series of time bound targets – with a deadline of 2015. These targets have become known as the Millennium Development Goals. They were to: 2 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 eradicate extreme hunger and poverty; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; develop a global partnership for development. At the recent Melbourne meeting, delegates were informed that the financial crisis is having an impact in several key areas of the MDGs, including those related to hunger, child and maternal health, gender equality, access to clean water, and disease control. It is expected to continue to affect development prospects well beyond 2015. As a result of the crisis, 53 million more people will remain in extreme poverty by 2015 than otherwise would have. This is a staggering figure. Even so, it was reported that the number of extreme poor could total around 920 million five years from now, marking a significant decline from the 1.8 billion people living in extreme poverty in 1990. So what does this have to do with the physical therapy profession? It was clear, from what was said at the conference, that the physical therapy workforce globally has a key role to play in working toward achieving the MDGs – particularly in eradicating extreme poverty as it relates to physical disability. In many parts of the world, the links between disability and poverty are a reality of everyday life for physical therapists. Disability is both a cause and a consequence of poverty – particularly in developing countries. Physical therapists have long been acknowledged as important providers of services for people with a disability. An appropriate level of physical therapy can promote social inclusion through optimising a person’s function and by encouraging participation in the economic and social life of the community. Participation is, however, dependent on a number of factors including: equitable access to health care and rehabilitation services; optimal access to aids and equipment essential for function; environmental access, including appropriate transport; access to suitable employment; adequate income support; access to appropriate education; access to appropriate accommodation and support. In partnership with other stakeholders, the global physical therapy community should be working to decrease disability as a key response to the challenge of addressing poverty and achieving the MDGs. Next year, at the 16th International WCPT Congress in Amsterdam, there will be a focused symposium on “Physical therapy leadership in disability and HIV: sharing international perspectives”. This will be an ideal forum for interested physical therapists to meet and discuss ways in which the profession can work together to help achieve the MDGs so that world poverty is cut by half, millions of lives are saved, and billions more people have the opportunity to benefit from the global economy. 3 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Key facts on the MDGs Progress since 1990: 280 million fewer people living in extreme poverty 40 million more children in school 3 million more children survive each year 2 million people now receive HIV/AIDS treatment Challenges ahead 1 billion people in extreme poverty 75 million children not in school 10 million children die each year 550,000 women die from treatable complications of pregnancy and birth Over 33 million people infected with HIV/AIDS, 2 million die each year Half of the developing world lacks sanitation. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ 4 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 How would you represent physical therapy and human movement? This image of a Korean physical therapist treating a baby with cerebral palsy and leukomalacia won WCPT’s first worldwide photography competition in 2008. It is now looking for photographs, painting, drawings and sculptures that express the work of physical therapists equally well. WCPT has launched its Art and Health competition. Selected finalists will be shown at WCPT’s World Congress in Amsterdam in June. The competition will focus on the theme of movement for health. WCPT is seeking outstanding pieces of artwork relevant to physical therapy, including: human movement in health and disease people with functional limitations in action physical therapy practice across the lifespan. The original artwork should be in one of the following forms: photography, painting, drawing, sculpture. The competition is open to both professionals and amateurs. The overall winner will be awarded a winning certificate and their work will be given a high profile within the Art and Health exhibit at WCPT’s Congress. A photograph of their work will be featured on the WCPT website and in the website’s photo gallery. A maximum of three entries may be submitted by any one individual. All entries must be submitted electronically (as a JPEG photograph). If a photograph of a sculpture, drawing or painting is being submitted, the artwork must be clearly visible and well-lit. The closing date for the competition is 31st January 2011. Please email entries (or direct any enquiries) to Mia Lockner at info@wcpt.org. 5 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 New CBR guidelines launched New world guidelines on community based rehabilitation are to be launched later this month (27th October) at the CBR African Network Conference in Abuja, Nigeria. They are supported by the World Health Organization, and have been developed with physical therapy input. The new community based rehabilitation (CBR) guidelines are published by WHO, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) ILO (International Labour Organization) and IDDC (International Disability and Development Consortium). Prompted by requests from CBR programmes for a guide for managers, WHO led the guideline development over five years, collaborating with programme representatives, non-governmental organisations, UN agencies and individuals. The content went through a series of drafts based on reviews by CBR programmes, sponsoring agencies and organisations and technical experts. Ann Goerdt, a physical therapist and former staff member at WHO, was called in to help prepare the health component, and was closely involved in preparing revised drafts after each review. The guidelines contain: a section on management; components on health, education, livelihood, social and empowerment; supplementary booklets on CBR and mental health, HIV/AIDS, leprosy and humanitarian crises. “The five components present CBR managers with information about the activities of sectors which are particularly relevant for people with disabilities,” says Ann Goerdt, who is Clinical Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at New York University. “Examples are provided to suggest ways in which CBR programmes can work with the various sectors to promote access and participation of people with disabilities. The health component, for example, contains sections on health promotion, prevention, medical care, rehabilitation and assistive devices. The emphasis is on access to information and services, as well as on promotion of active roles for people with disabilities in advising the health sector about their needs.” WHO will host a planning meeting on the implementation of the CBR guidelines on 25th-26th October in Abuja. The discussions will address dissemination, training of trainers, pilot programmes and the roles of stakeholders and networks to promote the implementation of the guidelines. 6 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 The story of World PT Day 2010 World PT Day events in Nepal included demonstrations of how physiotherapists could improve quality of life in older people. All around the world, physical therapists used World PT Day, and the weeks around it, as an opportunity to draw attention to the contribution of physical therapists to national and international health. Here are reports of some of the activities. Nepal To celebrate World Physical Therapy Day, physiotherapists gathered at the Pashupatinath Geriatric Centre – the only national home for older people run by the Nepal Government. This was to demonstrate that physiotherapists specialise in many areas, and geriatrics is one branch where they can do much to improve the quality of life for older people. Physiotherapists from the centre distributed orthopaedic aids and appliances like walkers, canes, crutches and food – which provide very important support for older people. The Nepal Physiotherapy Association plans to organise a weekly free physiotherapy camp to improve the movement and wellbeing of older people. British Virgin Islands World Physical Therapy Day was celebrated for the first time in the British Virgin Islands. Activities included an open house with physiotherapists and a chance to win prizes (such as a Blackberry phone and IPod) if they answered questions about the profession correctly. Events were publicised on local television, online news and print newspaper and were well supported by the community. St Lucia 7 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 The newly formed St Lucia Physiotherapy Association recognised World Physical Therapy Day by working with weekend newspapers on the island to produce several articles about the profession. On the same day the articles were published, the association partnered the Ministry of Health in a wellness exhibition, where healthy lifestyle activities were demonstrated. The association introduced daily exercises related to diabetic care, foot care, and healthy ageing. In keeping with the association’s continued efforts to educate the population about physiotherapy, it organised a booth at the annual Guyana and Trinidad Insurance company fun run and walk, which was held in early October. Physiotherapists talked about the effect of exercise on the body and the benefits of regular exercise. Bangladesh The programme of activities organised by the Bangladesh Physiotherapy Association in September included a public discussion about physiotherapy professional development involving several distinguished guests. It published a colourful poster containing the World Physical Therapy Day logo and slogan. This was distributed in different specialised and district hospitals, private clinics, and urban and rural settings to increase awareness among the public and doctors. Bangladesh Television, the government’s national channel, aired a special documentary about the importance of physiotherapy to honour the day. There was an open disscussion programme for the All Health Professionals Group on 8th September. Fiji The Fiji Physiotherapy Association began the celebrations with a conference on “Movement for Health and Diabetes” on 4th and 5th September. The conference was opened by the Permanent Secretary for Health in Fiji, Dr Salanieta Saketa, and the guest speaker was Margot Skinner, the WCPT Executive Committee member for Asia Western Pacific. The conference was attended by 50 participants, of whom 37 were physiotherapists from all over Fiji. It ended with fun and networking, and interviews featured in media coverage. During the week of 6th to 10th September, each physiotherapy centre in Fiji hosted its own community outreach programmes as well as in-house celebrations. Mauritius To celebrate World Physical Therapy Day in Mauritius, the Rehabilitation and Health Society of the University of Mauritius in collaboration with the Association of Physiotherapists organised an event that attracted around 70 physiotherapists, physiotherapy students, physicians and other guests. According to Dr Basant Rai, from the Mauritius Ministry of Social Security: “Mauritians lack physical activities. Times have changed and people are overweight or malnourished and do not engage in any physical activity.” The event highlighted the increasing number of patients who suffer from stroke and the fact that 23 per cent of the population suffers from diabetes. 8 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Nigeria The Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy carried out an extensive publicity and awareness campaign throughout the week, demonstrating the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and structured exercise programmes. It took its campaign to the doorsteps of the public, providing professional advice on why it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and how to do it. The society conducted basic screening exercise programmes at the National Sports Medicine Centre, after an awareness walk from Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Information flyers containing information from the WCPT World PT Day toolkit were handed to the public. Serbia The Association of Physiotherapists of Serbia celebrated World Physical Therapy Day 2010 on the main squares of Serbia’s three biggest towns – Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis. They held a Movement for Health performance including children and elder adults. Physiotherapists demonstrated exercises for children and gave advice to adults at an information desk. This is the first time that the Serbian association has held an event of this kind. All the national television and radio stations, and several newspapers, provided coverage of World Physical Therapy Day. Namibia The Namibian Society of Physiotherapy again decided to have a week of activities, rather than one day, with activities including a formal dance and three-course dinner, radio talks by various physiotherapists and a fun run/walk. It also organised a 2km wheelchair race. The society now plans to promote the profession during the year by publishing short articles in the daily newspaper and in educational magazines. Philippines Several institutions nationwide initiated celebrations, particularly university physical therapy departments and student associations. They included: a fun run and blood donation activities at Mariano Marcos State University College of Health Sciences, Batac City; a free physical therapy clinic and seminar on ergonomics at Angeles University Foundation College of Allied Medical Professions, Angeles City; physical fitness activity at University of Santo Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Manila; a symposium on rehabilitation and games at University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center College of Physical Therapy, Manila; a marathon dance exercise, seminar on motor relearning, and variety shows at Emilio Aguinaldo College School of Physical, Occupational and Respiratory Therapy, Manila; a free therapy clinic and a seminar on sports injuries and rehabilitation at Dee Hwa Liong College Foundation Mabalacat; an evidence-based practice conference at the University of the Philippines College of Allied Medical Professions, Manila. 9 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Brazil Students and professors of physical therapy celebrated World Physical Therapy Day. There were events at the Federal University of Paraná. Students and staff from the physical therapy course at UFPR Litoral performed workshops about pilates, shantala, manual therapies and other areas to spread awareness in the local community about the work of physical therapists and the different areas of the profession. The United States The New York Physical Therapy Association focused on obesity, designing a two-week walking challenge where participants tracked the steps they took each weekday for two weeks, using a tracking sheet and pedometer. Over 100 physical therapists and students participated, with four members of the New York State Assembly also taking part. The reward for most steps was either a charitable donation or, for physical therapists, registration to the state conference. The winner was Carlos Lopez of the Greater New York district, who walked 198,066 steps within the ten days. He asked for a charitable donation to be made in his name to the Wounded Warrior Project, having been a member of the armed services for eight years. New York State Assembly member Michael Benedetto also completed the requirements of the contest. "It was a great event to promote physical therapy in general, and specifically the physical therapist's role in combating obesity" said Nathaniel Mosher, Chair of the New York Physical Therapy Association Eastern District. 10 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Ten good reasons why physical therapists should visit the Netherlands next year Canals, barges, bridges, bikes: a typical Amsterdam scene If there ever was a good moment to travel to the Netherlands, next year is your time. Here are ten good reasons to be in the land of tulips, windmills and knee-deep culture in June 2011. 1. The International WCPT Congress It’s the biggest world gathering of physical therapists, it’s a unique opportunity to get a new perspective on your work, it only happens every four years and this time it’s in Amsterdam. You can read about the exciting programme elsewhere in this issue, and at www.wcpt.org/congress, but what the programme doesn’t show you is how much physical therapists who attend congresses get out of it. “The congress has remained in my memory since as a remarkable and inspiring experience,” said one past delegate. 2. Van Gogh There are 141 art galleries in Amsterdam alone, and if you want to see Dutch Masters – Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Vermeer – there is no better place. There are 206 paintings by Van Gogh in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum and if that’s not enough, you can go to the Kröller-Müller Museum, where there are a further 278. And if you’ve had enough Van Gogh, you can always resort to Amsterdam’s 51 museums, 16,000 annual concerts and theatrical performances, 55 theatres or 42 church organs. 11 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 3. The house of Anne Frank The Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht canal is a museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank, who hid from Nazi persecution with her family in hidden rooms at the rear of the building. The museum shows the hiding place, an exhibition on the life and times of Anne Frank, and highlights all forms of persecution and discrimination. 4. Alkmaar This picturesque city, to the north of Amsterdam, is one of the top attractions of the Netherlands. It preserves a 17th-century pattern of canals and narrow streets and has many historic buildings. The city is famous for its nightlife and traditional cheese market, held every Friday. 5. An easy gateway to Europe Getting to Holland is easy – Amsterdam Schiphol airport is one of the largest in Europe and served by more than 100 airlines. There are other smaller airports in Rotterdam, the Hague and Eindhoven and other cities, which accommodate many low cost carriers. The Netherlands has a famously efficient transport system – helped by the fact that the terrain is so flat. Once you’re in Amsterdam, getting around is simple – by foot (it takes on 45 minutes to walk from one side of the city to the other), tram, canal bus, or bike. And there’s nowhere better to start or end a European tour, with Brussels, Berlin, London, Paris and Copenhagen all within 500 miles. 6. Canals and narrow streets There’s little that can beat the sight of tall Amsterdam houses reflected in a calm canal. If you come to Amsterdam, you’ll see the scene quite a lot: there are 165 canals, 1,281 bridges, 8 wooden drawbridges and 2,500 houseboats. 7. Windmills They may sound a bit of a cliché, but the Netherlands’ windmills are worth seeing because they are far more than ornament. They were developed for corn milling, land drainage, saw milling and other industrial purposes, and helped shape the country. There are 1150 of them to see, eight of them in Amsterdam. 8. Cafe culture After Scandinavians, the Dutch are the world's biggest coffee drinkers, so you’ll discover a massive range of cafes with a massive range of coffees. 9. Green destination Amsterdam markets itself as a “green destination”. Voted one of the greenest cities in Europe, it boasts restaurants with sustainable menus, more bicycles than cars, green taxis, low CO2 boats and environmentally-conscious hotels. 12 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 10. The International WCPT Congress Did we mention this before? The beauty of combining a holiday with a visit to the WCPT congress is that WCPT has teamed up with RAI Hotel and Travel Service to provide discounted hotel rates for congress delegates. Saving you time, money and hassle their online reservation system ( www.rai-hotelservice.com/compass/webdirect.cfm?code=WPT11) allows you to search for hotels by star rating and area. Additionally you can view a map showing the location of the hotel in relation to the congress centre and find detailed information about each hotel. Discounted room rates at the official hotels are limited. http://www.wcpt.org/congress/registration 13 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Physical activity at the core of the profession – and the congress A major theme running through the forthcoming International WCPT Congress in Amsterdam is physical activity. At the core of everything physical therapists do, the subject also permeates a wide variety of congress sessions and activities. Simon Crompton examines how. “There will be – quite rightly – a focus at the congress on activity and health, and activity as a means of reducing disability and promoting participation,” says David Baxter from New Zealand, who will be one of those contributing to a congress session on how to monitor physical activity levels among clinical populations. “Physical activity sits at the core of the profession,” he says. “Evidence supports the fact that such interventions can be highly effective in a variety of conditions, but they are – at least in my view – under-utilised.” Delegates attending the congress in Amsterdam next June will have a wide range of sessions to select from to suit their needs best. The main congress programme is being dovetailed with related activities so that delegates can combine scientific sessions, such as focused symposia and discussion sessions, with practical courses and clinical visits within their area of interest. The theme of physical activity and health, like other themes (see "Evidence based practice at congress") will be reflected in all the programme elements. Baxter, who is Dean of the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago, New Zealand, will be contributing to an education session called “Physical Activity for Clinical Populations: measurement and interventions”. This will be part of the congress satellite programme which occurs just before the main congress. It has been developed by Suzanne McDonough from the University of Ulster, in the UK. “We have been collectively working as an international research network focussing on physical activity as an intervention for a variety of clinical populations, including low back pain,” says David Baxter. “One of the core themes of our research to date has been the use of activity monitors (sophisticated pedometers) in free living to assess levels and changes of activity over time. Colleagues are also interested in pedometers as a means to increase walking in clinical populations, and novel devices for monitoring activity during sleep.” “Our main aim with the session is to provide an introduction to the use of such devices in routine clinical practice, firstly using these as a means of objectively monitoring activity, and secondly – and perhaps more importantly – to review the current evidence for these devices when used as part of interventions. Clinical areas we plan to cover include low back pain, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and sleep studies.” There will be other education sessions within the satellite programme, covering promoting healthy lifestyles to reduce the disease burden, and physical fitness testing and training for older people. The theme of activity 14 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 and health will be reflected in a range of sessions within the main congress programme too: for example, in the newly-announced discussion panel sessions, WCPT President Marilyn Moffat will be chairing a session on “Evidence based exercise prescription: raising the standard of delivery”. A number of focused symposia (the showpiece events of the main programme which draw together a group of major figures to examine the latest advances on an important theme) will look at several angles on physical activity, including exercise and cancer, fitness and physical activity in cerebral palsy and global physical activity challenges. Rik Gosselink from Belgium will be one of the main speakers at a focused symposium entitled “Early Physical Exercise and Walking in ICU: accept the challenge!” The symposium will focus on the management of critically ill patients and examine how evidence now demonstrates that physical activity is beneficial at the very earliest stages of recovery – even exercising patients passively when they are still on a ventilator. “In the past, we waited until patients were stable, and could cooperate,” says Gosselink, who is full Professor of Respiratory Rehabilitation Sciences at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. “Nowadays, we exercise them passively, sometimes using forms of stimulation such as electrotherapy.” “We’re now seeing physical therapists’ involvement in promoting physical activity is widening. At one end of the scale we have patients who are very ill. Then we are working with people who are inactive for long periods because of chronic disease. And at the other end of the scale we are working with active younger people who are achieving at the highest levels of competition. It’s the full scale of improving physical fitness.” The International Scientific Committee planned the programme so that these sessions would appeal to a large number of delegates – physical activity was one of the topics identified from market research undertaken across the profession before planning started. 15 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 How congress delegates will be able to weigh the evidence The importance of both quantitative and qualitative research evidence to physical therapists will be examined at next year’s International WCPT Congress. Simon Crompton talks to some of the main contributors on evidence based practice. A new international collaboration to produce evidence based recommendations for daily physical therapy practice will be announced at next year’s WCPT congress, as part of a range of sessions and activities based around evidence based practice. Philip van der Wees from the Netherlands, along with Chris Maher from Australia, Christopher Powers from the United States, Aimee Stewart from South Africa and Ann Moore from the UK will all take part in a focused symposium where they will discuss a new international network of researchers, clinical guideline developers and practitioners that will collaborate in producing evidence-based recommendations. “At an international level, we believe it is important to produce evidence based recommendations, as well as guidelines,” says Philip van der Wees, a physical therapist and human movement scientist from Amsterdam, who has just been appointed Chair of the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N) – the international not-for-profit association of organisations and individuals involved in the development and use of clinical practice guidelines. He was appointed to its board last October, the first non-medic to be made a board member. “We think it’s important to address the issue of how you apply evidence to local situations. With short recommendations, of two to three pages, we can say there is good evidence in these areas, and then leave it to individual countries to develop full guidelines from these recommendations so that they are adapted to local situations.” The evidence-based recommendations will be derived from current high quality clinical guidelines and systematic reviews. They should help physical therapists make decisions in diagnosis and treatment. According to van der Wees, there is still resistance to the idea of evidence based practice (EBP), partly because of misunderstandings about what it means. “People think it means that you should only do something if there is 100% evidence behind it,” he says, “but it’s actually a combination of evidence from the literature combined with clinical expertise and evidence from the patient. There’s lots of room for individual decision-making and patient feedback.” In the Guidelines International Network, he said, there is increasing awareness that evidence based guidelines needed to take account of daily function, and not just medical diagnosis and treatment. Chris Carpenter from the United Kingdom also wants to emphasise that EBP isn’t always what physical therapists expect, in the focused symposium she is chairing entitled “Qualitative Research Evidence: how does it contribute to evidence based practice?” “I don’t think EBP has been as embedded in the practice of many countries 16 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 as it should have been,” says Chris Carpenter, who is a Reader in Physiotherapy at Coventry University. “Many of the barriers have stemmed from a very narrow definition of EBP, and as physical therapists I think we’ve hung too much on to the medical based model without questioning whether it is appropriate to our practice.” Physical therapists have to think beyond randomised controlled trials, and towards the use of extended case and qualitative studies. “In the focused symposium I’m hoping to introduce people to what qualitative research is, and what it isn’t and its contribution to EBP,” she says. Another speaker at the symposium will be Patty Solomon from Canada. “My message would be that qualitative research has become increasingly relevant as PTs have become more aware of the need for patient centered practice,” she says. “Through a greater understanding of the lived experiences of those with whom we interact, we are able to adapt our assessment and management strategies to best meet their needs.” Delegates to the congress will be able to follow other discussions and sessions on EBP. In the focused symposia, there will be discussions on: web-based resources to support evidence based physiotherapy Cochrane systematic reviews – enabling evidence based physiotherapy after stroke development of evidence based recommendations for physical therapy diagnosis and treatment. There will also be education sessions on: physical therapy in Parkinson’s disease: towards evidence based practice evidence based evaluation and treatment for back and knee pain in older persons evidence based physiotherapy and assessment of quality of the systematic reviews and clinical trials. A discussion panel on research in the 21st century, led by Ann Moore, Chair of the congress International Scientific Committee, is another session that will engage delegates in debate. And journal editors and a range of researchers will be available to talk to delegates about getting going in research and writing for publication. 17 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 PTs from around the world attend South America congress At the South America Region congress, from right to left: Brenda Myers, WCPT Secretary General; Maritza Pecarevic from Chile; David Lopez, Chairman of the WCPT South America Region; Marilyn Moffat, WCPT President; Lesley Bainbridge from Canada; Margaret Grant from Australia. The regional meeting and congress of the WCPT South America Region were held in August in Santiago, Chile. “Both events were a great success,” said WCPT South America regional Chairman David Lopez. “The regional meeting was organised in a friendly manner and with constructive leadership, so the regional agreements were very positive for the profession.” The congress scientific programme included more than 30 international guest speakers. There were more than 120 free paper presentations and 30 research posters by physical therapists from Chile and Latin American countries. The main theme of the congress was the impact of physical therapy on public health and primary care. With more than 1000 physical therapists attending, the opening ceremony was presided over by David Lopez, WCPT President Marilyn Moffat and other distinguished guests including the Chilean Health Minister, Jaime Mañalich. The congress had three main sessions in the morning and three in the afternoon, each having around eight paper presentations simultaneously conducted in four rooms. They were held on the 19th, 20th and 21st August. A total of 12 pre-congress courses were conducted in different Chilean universities. 18 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Argentine association looks forward to being embraced into the world context again At the recent South America Region congress in Chile, Argentine delegates gather with Marilyn Moffat, WCPT President (centre) and Anibal Materi, President of the Argentine Association (centre right) and David López, Chairman of the WCPT South America Region (kneeling). In the first of a series of articles on physical therapy associations expected to be admitted to WCPT membership next year, Dora Michaut profiles the Argentine association. The Argentine Association of Kinesiology (AAK) has been approved as a provisional member of WCPT and will be presented for full membership at the next WCPT General Meeting in Amsterdam in June 2011. This milestone will mark the culmination of a long process, ending a period of isolation for Argentine physiotherapy and reinstating it into the world context. The AAK, a membership organisation, was founded in the early 20th century, before the first course of study was created at the University of Buenos Aires in 1937. In fact, the AAK holds the distinction of being the first association for the profession in the South America region. In Argentina there are seven professional titles considered equivalent to “physical therapist”, with the most common being licentiate in kinesiology physiatria. The title used depends on where the individual graduated, and holders of any of the seven titles may be members of the AAK. AAK members work in many environments across a range of sectors including academic, private, public and mixed. The overall mission of the AAK is to provide information and defend members’ legal rights. It offers scholarships and permanent training, workshops, talks and seminars. It brings together teachers, professionals, graduates and students into one professional body. 19 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 The Ministry of National Health requires a minimum of 2,500 hours in a four-year university course to be officially recognised. There are currently 19 universities offering such courses – in 17 of them, the course is five years long and students complete an average of 3,600 hours of studies. Currently the AAK is working with these universities towards the acknowledgement of the profession as one of “public interest” within the Law of Superior Education in Argentina. This would lead to a greater commitment by universities to provide high quality education in accordance with the standards set by the Ministry of Health. Professionals in Argentina can enter postgraduate courses to get a speciality masters or doctorate degree. Many of these studies are completed together with other health care professional such as medical doctors and psychologists. Specialisms in traumatology, orthopaedics, cardiology, respiratory care, paediatrics, neurology, sports, acupuncture and critical care have all been developed and achieved internationally recognised levels of excellence. The AAK also works with most universities to organise and supervise research groups that aim to promote the recognition of the professions scientific base. 20 The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is a registered charity in the UK, no. 234307 October 2010 Subgroup news in brief IOPTWH Ros Thomas, the Treasurer of IOPTWH (the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Women's Health), has been awarded a Distinguished Service Award by the United Kingdom’s Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Her citation said she had “worked tirelessly and enthusiastically” to promote physiotherapy in women's health. She has served on the executive committee of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women's Health in the UK since 1999. IPTOP Greece has had to withdraw as host country for the IPTOP 2010 Congress because of the economic crisis. This means there will be no IPTOP Congress this year. IPTOP (the International Organisation of Physical Therapists working with Older People) aims to collaborate with member organisations to host future IPTOP meetings and congresses as part of their main meetings so that members organisations in all regions have an opportunity to participate. It seeks invitations from member organisations willing to include a meeting within their main programme. October 2010 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)