Physiotherapy has needed an international association dedicated to the environment for some time, and not only because we now have social media that allows us to connect across the globe, but because life on our planet is imperilled.

The climate crisis now facing us is beyond doubt, and everyone – especially those with the kinds of social capital held by physiotherapists – has a responsibility to act.

Physiotherapy has always been a ‘low carbon’ profession, and the environment has always been a part of our work, but it has never been celebrated overtly before, or thought of as a place where our work can make a significant impact. We hope that is about to change.

Last month Filip Maric and I wrote an editorial for Physiotherapy Theory & Practice highlighting the need for a deliberately environmental physiotherapy and, following that, we’re very happy to highlight the publication of our editorial and the launch of the Environmental Physiotherapy Association (EPA).

Download a copy of the editorial here

The first steps in shaping the Association will be bringing together physios with an interest in the environment and forming an Executive. You can find out more about the Association and its draft aims and objectives here.

Please use our contact form to sign up and become a member (free) and receive updates.

We will begin publishing a regular blog and building resources to help practitioners, lecturers, researchers and students connect their practice to the environment in new and exciting ways.

If you’d like to contact us directly about the EPA you can email: info (at) environmentalphysio.com or use the contact form at the bottom of the site homepage.

 

References

Maric, F. & Nicholls, D. (2019). A call for a new environmental physiotherapy – An editorial. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. 35:10, 905-907. DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2019.1632006

 

David Nicholls (PhD)
David is an Associate Professor at AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand. He is a physiotherapist, lecturer, researcher and writer with a passion for critical thinking in and around the physical therapies. David is the founder of the Critical Physiotherapy Network, an organisation that promotes the use of cultural studies, education, history, philosophy, sociology, and a range of other disciplines in the study of the profession’s past, present and future. He has published extensively and presented his work all around the world.