Environmental Physiotherapy Association
Written by Madelyn Yoo, OTS
The Environmental Physiotherapy Association (EPA) is an international network of physiotherapy (or physical therapy) clinicians, researchers, educators, and students working to advance planetary health and related efforts in the physiotherapy profession. Founded in 2019 by A/Prof Filip Maric and nine other physiotherapy professionals from across the globe, the EPA’s mission is to explore, enhance, and employ environmental physiotherapy. A fundamental principle of the group is that human and ecosystems health are inextricably linked, thus physiotherapy has a duty to meaningfully contribute to planetary health and well-being.
Following the organization’s mission and values, members of the EPA pursue a variety of projects from advocating for change in clinics to developing educational materials. One member, a physiotherapist at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, works as an environmental coordinator for the physiotherapy department at the hospital in addition to his job as a full time clinician. In this position, he studies the environmental policies and objectives of the hospital, creates the department’s environmental objectives, and helps educate and motivate staff to comply with environmental measures. Another member, a researcher and educator with a background in physiotherapy and epidemiology, developed an online course on biodiversity and physiotherapy, which can be accessed on Physioplus. Students are also contributing to the cause. One pair of students worked on a project to increase active transport for physiotherapy students and staff at the University of South Australia. Exploring facilitators and barriers to engaging in active transport, the student project leads developed a video and resource guide for the physiotherapy department and wider virtual dissemination. Now with more than 800 members, EPA has many more projects pushing the agenda for social and environmental responsibility in physiotherapy.
A major development of the EPA is the EPT Agenda 2023 (https://eptagenda2023.com/), a series of resources and education initiatives calling for the integration of planetary health, environmental, and sustainability education into entry-level physiotherapy training on a global scale. Though centered on physiotherapy, authors intended for other healthcare professions to find valuable and relevant information by collaborating on an interactive open-access repository of resources on ideas, experiences, and materials to help advance planetary health. Supporting organizations of the EPT Agenda 2023 include occupational therapists, such as the School of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Association at McGill University, the British Association of Hand Therapists, the Australian Hand Therapy Association, and now also us, the Occupational Therapists for Environmental Action (OTEA).
Collaboration across healthcare professions is a crucial element of the movement to tackle the effects of climate change on human health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further damage, and mend the relationship between humanity and the natural environment. The EPA is a prime example of how different health professions can begin to find each other and strengthen the cause. The EPA also welcomes members from the public and any other healthcare profession, and there are no costs involved in joining them, just the benefits of connection and working together on these important issues.
More information on the EPA can be found on their website: http://environmentalphysio.com/, and you can also connect with the EPA on twitter, facebook, instagram and LinkedIn.
https://twitter.com/EnviroPhysio
https://www.facebook.com/EnvironmentalPhysiotherapyAssociation
https://www.linkedin.com/company/environmental-physiotherapy-association-epa/