Advancing an environmentally responsible physiotherapy

 

The world faces complex and interrelated crises… Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, rapid urbanization, geopolitical conflict and militarization, demographic change, population displacement, poverty, and widespread inequity create risks of future crises even more severe than those experienced today. Responses require investments that integrate planetary, societal, community and individual health and well-being (WHO 2021 Geneva Charter for Wellbeing)

 

 The impact of human activities on our planet’s natural systems has been intensifying rapidly in the past several decades, leading to disruption and transformation of most natural systems. These disruptions in the atmosphere, oceans, and across the terrestrial land surface are not only driving species to extinction, they pose serious threats to human health and wellbeing. Characterising and addressing these threats requires a paradigm shift (Myers, 2017)

Action at the level of direct drivers of nature decline, although necessary, is not sufficient … a sustainable global future’ is ‘only possible with urgent transformative change that tackles the root causes: the interconnected economic, socio-cultural, demographic, political, institutional, and technological indirect drivers behind the direct drivers (Diaz et al., 2019)

About

An international community of academics, clinicians, practitioners and students interested in exploring and advancing the field of environmental physiotherapy. 

Blog

Follow our latest musings on environmental physiotherapy. Ideas, inspiration, news, publications, events, and more. 

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Become part of the first international community of physiotherapists with an interest in researching, developing, and practising physiotherapy at a planetary scale. 

Resources

A growing selection of resources carefully selected by members of the EPA to inspire your thinking and practice of environmental physiotherapy. 

The One Health case for veterinary physiotherapy

A recent Veterinary Record correspondence explores how veterinary physiotherapy can contribute to the One Health vision—advancing animal welfare while reducing the environmental footprint of care. From managing chronic conditions to supporting sustainable...

Observations from being an environmental coordinator at a Norwegian hospital

Three years ago I was appointed as “environmental coordinator” of the physiotherapy department at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, in addition to working full time as a physiotherapist in the burns centre of the hospital. The goal is for every...

Fysiotherapie en vergroening: resonantie tussen gezondheid en ecologie

De klimaat- en biodiversiteitscrisis stelt ons als fysiotherapeuten niet alleen voor praktische vragen, maar ook voor fundamentele uitdagingen in hoe wij als fysiotherapeuten gezondheid, zorg en verantwoordelijkheid begrijpen en vormgeven. Deze uitdagingen brengen ons...

La physiothérapie environnementale prend sa place au congrès de l’Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ)

L’Ordre Professionnel de la Physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ) se montre engagé à faire avancer la physiothérapie environnementale. Lors de son congrès qui a eu lieu le 9 et 10 novembre dernier (Congrès Physiothérapie 360°), le comité organisateur a invité Shaun Cleaver,...

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