A Neuro Physio Podcast

Professor Janice Eng, OC, is a University Killam Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of British Colombia Department of Physical Therapy. Janice is currently the co-director of the Centre for Aging SMART at Vancouver Coastal Health. Her work includes the GRASP upper limb program, the FAME fitness and mobility program, robotic exoskeleton research and her most recent Walk n’ Watch multi-...

Dr Vivienne Travlos is a Respiratory Physiotherapist at the MND Association of Western Australia and Principal Physio at Breathe Physio. She has a PhD, MSc of (Management of hildhood Disability) a GradCert in university teaching. This episode is all you want to know about neuro respiratory. We chat neuromuscular disorders, respiratory pathophysiology and disease, night respiration, airway clearanc...

A/Prof Simone Dorsch is a lecturer in neurological physiotherapy at Australian Catholic University in Sydney and a Director at the StrokEd collaboration. Simone holds a Masters of Health Science (Neurological Physiotherapy) and a PhD in increasing strength after stroke from University of Sydney. We spend time talking about strength training after stroke, dose and intensity of practice, courses off...

We are chatting with James McQuillan one of the Australian Steelers – the Aussie wheelchair rugby team. Not just that but an Australian Steeler who has had an incredible journey from recreational sportsman to national representative in just over 11 months. In this episode James shares his story, the injury that led him to having a SCI, how he came to be part of the Steelers, and all about Wheelcha...

Dr Jess Nolan recently completed her PhD on Lateropulsion. Jess is a physio from Perth, Australia. Her credentials include BSc (Physio) - Curtin Uni, Grad Dip (Neuro Rehab) – UWA, member of ANZSO Emerging Stroke Clinician Scientist Committee, and Physio Working Party for the Stroke Foundation Living Guidelines. Jess worked as a senior physio, a physio coordinator of stroke services and is now at C...

This episode is all about codesign. Dr Emily Ramage is a neuro physio & expert in an approach to codesign called Integrated Knowledge Translation. She’s used the methodology through her PhD (codesign of a PA intervention aimed at reducing secondary stroke risk) & in other projects which she speaks about in the episode. Emily's PhD work was piloted as part of the ENAbLE pilot trial inv...

Dr Julie Vaughan-Graham is an IBITA Basic and Advanced Tutor, holds a Masters degree in neuro rehabilitation and a PhD investigating the clinical reasoning process of expert Bobath physiotherapists. She owns her own clinical practice in Toronto, and developed the online iNeuroRehab training courses. Julie also holds a post-doctoral fellowship and adjunct lecturer position with the Department of Ph...

This month we are chatting with Dr. Sarah Milne from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute who is also the Coordinator of the Friedreich's Ataxia Clinic at Monash Health in Melbourne, Australia. Sarah is an expert in hereditary cerebellar ataxias and after completing her PhD in 2018 she is trying to bolster the evidence base about the right rehab for people with Friedreich’s Ataxia.  This epi...

Dr. Kate Scrivener is a Senior Lecturer of Physiotherapy at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia where she’s an educator and researcher. She’s also an educator with the Stroke Ed collaboration and that energy for education & innovation has seen her develop the REPS app and website - a set of exercise programs designed to help stroke survivors exercise at home, and the TRAIN program - a clin...

Barby Singer is a Professor in the School of Medical & Health Science at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia. She is an APA Neurological Physiotherapist, a Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists by Original Contribution in 2011 and has more than 40 years of clinical and academic experience in neurological rehabilitation. Barby has been a key leader in Australia for...

Dr Kim Jennings is an Advanced Bobath tutor with over 35 years of clinical expertise. Kim became a Bobath Tutor in 2000 and an Advanced Tutor in 2012. She holds a clinical doctorate in physiotherapy at La Trobe University investigating barriers and facilitators to implementation of the Bobath concept and a Master of Public Health from Monash University. We get the lowdown about what sparked her in...

Dr. Simon Mills is the principal clinician in the South Australian Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service. He recently completed his PhD (University of Adelaide) in postural alignment and recovery of mobility after acquired brain injury, focusing on brain injury survivors with severe mobility impairment. Simon has 20 years clinical experience and his research interests include methods for clinical as...

Professor Susan Hillier is a Professor of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation and Dean of Research in Allied Health and Human Performance at the University of South Australia. Her teaching and research interests are broadly in neuroscience and rehabilitation. She has particular interest in the role of afferent stimulation and training using multi-modal feedback. Susan is also trained in Feldenkrais an...

Professor Nora Shields is a prolific researcher in the youth disability space. Dr Shields is a professor of physiotherapy at La Trobe university in Melbourne, Australia. She hails from Ireland completing her Physiotherapy degree and PhD at Trinity College in Dublin, and also holds a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. Dr Shields developed a program called FitSkills, an innovative program whi...

This episode is all about understanding the impact of sensory deficit on function after stroke on function, and what to do about it. Dr. Leeanne Carey is the Head of the Neurorehabilitation and Recovery Research Group co-located at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and La Trobe University. She's also a professor in Occupational therapy at La Trobe university and the devel...

In this episode, we explore using technology in your clinical practice in a really practical and realistic way with Dr. Kelly Bower who completed her PhD in technology use in rehabilitation. Join us as we discuss Wii, Kinect, newer rehab-specific devices, the evidence base, barriers & facilitators in the clinic and what patients get out of tech - be ready for some surprises here! Kelly also sh...

Heidi is the queen of the concept of environmental enrichment to maximise recovery potential post stroke and other neurological conditions. She shares all about her work in this episode, including her latest venture partnering with end users to develop a community model for environmental enrichment (ESTEEM). We also chat about the Yarning Up After Stroke program she co-leads, designed to help Abor...

Emeritus Professor Sheila Lennon is semi-retired but still manages to keep driving powerful change for neuro patients. She's from Flinders university in Adelaide South Australia, has worked all over the world, and stays involved on the Physiotherapy Board of Australia and the Chartered society of Physiotherapy in the UK. She's a clinician and educator, continues clinical work for the MS...

Paul Fink survived a large left fronto-temporo-parietal brain haemorrhage secondary to an AVM aneurysm at the age of 34. His attitude to life is one we should all learn from and it continues to help him achieve his goals 8 years on. Paul's new podcast My Stroke of Luck aims to share this wisdom. What he's doing for the stroke community and what he teaches us about providing rehab is impr...

Our discussion with Dr Steve Wolf from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. A true legend of the field he shares with us snippets of his illustrious career, his newest research including vagus nerve stimulation to induce cortical neurplasticity, and his predictions for the future of neuro rehab. 3.53 Introduction 5.35 Career Pathway 8.15 History of physio in the US 10.40 Suspended from PT school...

Professor Prue Morgan is head of department at Monash University, Melbourne - Australia. She is a self professed yes person and expert in adults with cerebral palsy. We discuss her career journey, her passion for cerebral palsy and teaching philosophy. 4:45 - Career path 8:00 - Why cerebral palsy 10:40 - Drop of in care for adults with CP 11:50 - Filling the gaps in CP care 13:00 - Keeping the pas...

Dr Annie McCluskey is a powerhouse of the stroke rehabilitation world in Australia. She established the StrokeEd collaboration with her partner Karl Schurr (physiotherapist) as well as making significant research contributions in the areas of sexuality, intimacy and upper limb rehabilitation. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it. 4:50 - Current role 6.23 - COVID story 7:25...

Ann is the ultimate clinical expert with decades of clinical experience and a desire to keep bettering herself time and time again. Her latest venture is in the APA Gerontology fellowship specialisation training program. She already has her PhD, a Grad Cert in Physio and is an APA Titled Gerontological Physio. She has held multiple academic university and clinical lead roles, and is on the faculty...

Dharsha is one of the most experienced FND physios in Australia and her passion for this clinical group is exceptional. There are so many pearls in this episode about education, diagnosis, sustainable carry-over of treatment, prognostic and perpetuating factors, triggers, symptom management plans and more. We also answer listener questions you submitted. 3:40 – Career pathway 8:30 – Career pivot p...

This month we're doing what it says on the packet - implementation science! Marlena is an expert in this field having completed her PhD in the field in 2018. An OT by background, she is the Allied Health Research Translation Lead at Royal Melbourne Hospital. Now a post-doctoral researcher, she also has post-graduate quals in clinical rehabilitation (neurological rehabilitation) and is complet...