Department of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne

How can physiotherapists help improve outcomes before major cancer surgery?

Join us for the APA Victorian Branch Winter Breakfast, where Professor Catherine Granger from the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne will present on the growing role of prehabilitation in major cancer surgery.

Drawing on more than 20 years of clinical and research experience, Catherine will explore how interventions such as exercise, nutrition, psychological support and patient education can improve patients' fitness before surgery, leading to fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and better recovery outcomes.

As evidence for prehabilitation continues to grow, this presentation will provide practical insights into how physiotherapists can integrate these approaches into surgical care pathways across hospital, community and private practice settings.

📅 Friday 24 July, 6:30–9:30am
📍 Leonda by the Yarra, Hawthorn

We encourage physiotherapists, researchers, students and healthcare professionals with an interest in cancer care and rehabilitation to attend.

Register to attend: https://australian.physio/pd/pd-product?id=13415

🎉 Congratulations to PhD candidate Hannah Sharma from the Department of Physiotherapy, who recently took the stage at Raising the Bar where ten bars across Melbourne were transformed into pop-up lecture theatres for a public audience.

Hannah shared her insights on the importance of strength and balance training, meaningful goal setting and incremental progress to add life to years 💪

A fantastic opportunity to bring important research directly to the public. Well done Hannah! 👏

🎉 Congratulations to Ellie White, proud Kija Bardi physiotherapist, Lecturer, and First Nations Health Lead in our Doctor of Physiotherapy program, who recently presented at the 2026 Adelaide University/AAUT Teaching and Learning Breakfast Series!

Ellie presented on Advancing Cultural Advocacy in Health Education, sharing key learnings from the redesign of the Doctor of Physiotherapy program's First Nations curriculum. Ellie has helped us embed and prioritise First Nations ways of knowing, being in and doing to equip DPT graduates to deliver more culturally responsive care and advance healthcare equity 🤝

The processes and insights Ellie shared offer transferable learnings for universities across Australia — a wonderful contribution to teaching and learning in the sector!

Meet Prakriti! 👋

Prakriti Koirala is one of our PhD students who completed her confirmation seminar last week. A big milestone in any research journey! 🎉

Prakriti completed both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in public health in Nepal, where she worked closely with rural communities to better understand their health needs. These experiences sparked her passion for bridging the gap between what communities need and what health systems deliver, and led her to implementation science, where she has built expertise across mental health, antibiotic resistance, and maternal and child health.

Prakriti's PhD is embedded within the Active-Prem trial. Active-Prem is a novel, co-designed intervention aimed at improving physical activity participation among children born very preterm (

Blending elite sport experience with innovative teaching, Associate Professor Sonya Moore is shaping the next generation of clinicians through the University of Melbourne’s Master of Sports Medicine 🏃‍♀️🎓

A practicing APA Titled Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist and IFSPT Registered Sports Physical Therapist, Sonya works with athletes across all levels — from community sport to international competition — bringing real-world insight directly into her teaching. Her approach emphasises practical decision-making, interprofessional collaboration, and building clinician confidence in high-performance environments 💡

With a strong interest in athlete care, performance, and trauma-informed practice, Sonya is helping redefine what meaningful, practice-based learning looks like in a modern, online setting 🌏

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWTXY2_DzRA/?img_index=1

From elite sport to the virtual classroom, Associate Professor Sonya Moore is re-imagining how clinical teaching works online - creating authentic, supportive learning experiences that build confidence, critical thinking and real-world decision-making for students. Read how Sonya helped establish UniMelb's fully online Master of Sports Medicine and why meaningful, practice-based learning sits at the heart of her teaching. 🔗 Read more at the link in bio.

🎤 Physiotherapy at Raising the Bar – Melbourne Health Edition

We’re excited to share that Raising the Bar is returning to Melbourne with a special Health Edition on Wednesday 13 May.

For one night, the city will be transformed into a knowledge hub with 20 talks across 10 CBD venues, where researchers and experts share their work in relaxed pub-style settings.

We’re especially proud that Hannah Sharma, a PhD student from the University of Melbourne Department of Physiotherapy, will be presenting as part of the program on Healthy Ageing: Adding Life to Years. It’s a fantastic opportunity to hear about the latest research and ideas in health and medicine while connecting with the community.

🎟️ Registrations are now open, so if you’re interested in engaging talks, new ideas, and a great night out in the city, be sure to check it out.

More details and registration:
https://www.rtbevent.com/melb-2026

We hope to see some of our physio community there!

🌟 Our Year in Review 🌟

2025 was a big year for our Department!

In 2025 our Master of Physiotherapy (Paediatrics) program was recognised on the APA's academic pathway for paediatric physiotherapy titling, 226 students graduated across our Doctor of Physiotherapy, postgraduate coursework and graduate research programs, and our research and education expertise was recognised through numerous grants, publications, and awards.

Take a closer look at some of our highlights below 👀

Did you know that falls are the second leading cause of disability in people over the age of 70?

There are resources available to help older adults manage the risk of falls, but they've primarily been developed for people from English-speaking backgrounds.

Last month, Professor Cathy Said joined consumer Rosa Cursio-Barcham and host Tony Tardio on Il Globo's Viva L'Italia podcast to discuss the Move Together Program. The Move Together pilot program is designed to help older people from Italian, Chinese and Arabic-speaking communities reduce their risk of falls by doing the right types of exercise to stay mobile 🚶‍♀️‍➡️

👂Listen to the podcast here: https://ilglobo.com/podcasts/tony-tardio/

👀And read more here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVroaVRCI85/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Did you know that falls are the second leading cause of disability in people over the age of 70? There are resources available to help older adults manage this risk, but they've primarily been developed for people from English-speaking backgrounds. The Move Together pilot program is designed to help older people from Italian, Chinese and Arabic-speaking communities reduce their risk of falls by doing the right types of exercise to stay mobile 🚶‍♀ Professor Cathy Said joined consumer Rosa Cursio-Barcham and host Tony Tardio on @ilglobonewspaper's Viva L'Italia podcast to discuss their work. Listen to the full episode at the link in our bio 🔗

Reminder 🙋‍♀️

We would love to catch up with our Physiotherapy alumni and staff THIS FRIDAY!
⏰ From 5.00pm
📍 Prince Alfred Rooftop & Bar, 191 Grattan St, Carlton.

Please let us know if you can join us (RSVP deadline extended until Friday) 👉https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/physio-alumni-social-event-tickets-1981059455159?aff=oddtdtcreator

🍻 Physiotherapy Alumni Pub Catch-Up 2026

We’re looking forward to reconnecting with our Physiotherapy alumni and staff community in 2026 and we’d love for you to join us!

🗓 Friday 13 March 2026
⏰ From 5.00pm
📍 Prince Alfred Rooftop & Bar
191 Grattan St, Carlton

Join us anytime from 5pm for an informal evening with Department of Physiotherapy staff and fellow alumni. It’s a great opportunity to reconnect with friends, expand your professional network, and enjoy a relaxed catch-up. Partners are welcome.

🎟 Book your ticket now!
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/physio-alumni-social-event-tickets-1981059455159?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_content=2026_AE_MDHS_AI_AP_PhysioSocialCatchup_Invite_CTA_Event_4&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ADV&utm_campaign=E_All_2026_27_AE_MDHS_AI_AP&sfid=701OY00000bHaHwYAK&hem=6108edaac6b320d43c830
Please RSVP by 11.59pm Friday 6 March 2026.

We look forward to seeing you there!