Supporting Rural Communities Through Physiotherapy: World PT Day

Each year on World Physical Therapy Day (World PT Day), on the 8th September, the global community recognises the vital role of physiotherapists in supporting health and wellbeing across all stages of life. Supported by World Physiotherapy, this year’s theme, Healthy Ageing – Falls and Frailty Prevention, highlights the key role of physiotherapists in improving quality of life for older adults and supporting independence for as long as possible.

At the University Department of Rural Health South West (UDRH SW), we proudly support World PT Day, recognising the important role physiotherapists play in rural and remote areas where access to health services can be limited.

UDRH SW is home to dedicated educators and clinicians who mentor the next generation of physiotherapists.

This World PT day, we’d like to highlight the work of UDRH SW staff member, Ari Aldus. Ari is a Lecturer and Physiotherapist, with a Master of Medical Science in Pain Management, she brings both clinical expertise and a strong commitment to building capacity in the rural health workforce to the UDRH SW team.

In the South West region, healthy ageing is a community priority. With a large proportion of older residents, many living with osteoarthritis, the need to support mobility, manage pain, and encourage active lifestyles is crucial to sustaining independence and wellbeing across the lifespan. Physiotherapists play an essential role here. Their expertise extends far beyond rehabilitation after injury — they are central to preventing falls, managing chronic disease, improving mobility, and enhancing quality of life as people age.

Yet, access to physiotherapy is uneven. According to the APA’s 2023 Workforce Census, around 7 in 10 physiotherapists are based in metropolitan areas, with the remaining 3 in 10 work in regional or rural towns. This imbalance creates service gaps but also highlights the importance of rural placements for building workforce capacity.

UDRH SW is committed to growing and supporting the rural physiotherapy workforce. In 2025, we have supported placements across the South West including in Bunbury, Margaret River, Busselton, Australind and Dunsborough.

Not only do we support Physiotherapists of the future, we also run programs such as Teaching on the Run and Learning on the Run to support both supervisors and graduates in delivering high-quality training experiences in the region.

Jordanna, a Physiotherapy student speaks about completing a rural placement with the UDRH SW in Bunbury. Jordanna notes that she was initially hesitant to complete her first ever Practicum in a rural area however,

“…it’s been a really good experience. It’s really quite nice to get away from the area and the life that you’re used to…”

She reflects further about the workload of a rural physiotherapist and how:

“You have quite a lot of patients to see in a day. Sometimes you’ll only have a few to see, but each patient is different. You might see a joint replacement, and then you’ll be seeing someone day one post laparotomy. There’s a lot of variety, but all the patients are really lovely, and you get to learn a lot about how much the MDT (Multi Disciplinary Team) all work together, which was really good.”

This World Physiotherapy Day, UDRH SW celebrates the physiotherapists who support rural communities across the South West and beyond. From advancing healthy ageing to inspiring the next generation of clinicians, their contribution continues to make a lasting impact.