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May 2023 News
Save The Date
The 2024 Australasian Injury Prevention Network Conference
Conference Theme: "Weaving knowledges for sustainable futures; together creating a new way"
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Tuesday,12 March 2024 to Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Rotorua, New Zealand
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More information to come...
How The Australian Ballet is drastically cutting injury rates
Benedicte Bemet is currently performing one of the lead roles in Romeo and Juliet at The Australian Ballet. Five years ago, however, the ballet dancer had an injury so severe that for six months she could only walk while wearing high heels.
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“My main challenge after injury was learning to be patient,” Bemet says.
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“These days I can tell when I’m pushing it too hard, not allowing my body proper recovery and I can nip it in the bud. I can go see the team of physiotherapists at the ballet before a small niggle becomes a larger injury.
Australian Ballet Principal Artist Benedicte Bemet exercises on the stairs at the Sydney Opera House.
AIPN Member Spotlight
How did you get into Injury Prevention?
I have a background in nursing and wanted to make a difference on a larger scale for our Elder’s with a program called the Ironbark Falls prevention Program in 2014 and I have continued to work in the injury prevention with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities since then.
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What is your favourite part of being involved with the AIPN?
My favourite part of AIPN is the collaboration and partnerships that are built among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, government agencies, community organisations and communities across Australasia. For me, our collaboration enables a culturally safe approach to addressing injury prevention challenges and encourages innovative solutions for First Nations people.
A favourite TV Show or book you’d recommend?
A destiny of her own.
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A fact about yourself most people wouldn't know?
I don't like chocolate.
Julieann Coombes
Senior Research Fellow
Guunu-maana (Heal) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program at The George Institute for Global Health
Advocating a holistic approach for sport injury prevention and rehabilitation
For competitive athletes, the chance of sustaining an injury during a regular season is fairly high.1 The incidence ranges from 0.5 to 34 injuries/1000 hours.2 One could argue that injury is an inevitable part of engaging in sport.
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In prevention of sport injuries, as well as rehabilitation, the primary focus of sports medicine professionals is on the physical aspects, for example, muscle strength and flexibility. However, psychosocial variables also influence both injury risk and injury rehabilitation outcomes.1 A variety of psychosocial interventions both preinjury and postinjury have been developed and scientifically evaluated, but these are often overlooked.
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Therefore, this editorial advocates a holistic approach. It considers the physical, psychological and sociocultural factors influencing injury risk and rehabilitation and the effect of psychosocial interventions.
Partnership to transform dementia care in residential aged care
Improving the lives of people living with dementia. A partnership project led by the University of Sydney has received funding from the Australian Government to improve the independence, health and wellbeing of people living with dementia in residential aged care.
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A PhD scholarship is available through the University of Sydney as part of an NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) Partnership project, entitled “Optimising functional and social independence and safety of older people living with dementia in care homes: Implementation research”. ​
Postgraduate Research Scholarship in Dementia and Aged Care
This Postgraduate Research Scholarship in Dementia and Aged Care has been developed to support an outstanding postgraduate research student at the Faculty of Medicine and Health within the University of Sydney to undertake research in econometrics, biostatistics, or data science.
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Benefits
This scholarship is valued at $37,207 per annum and is tenable for 3.5 years.
Who's eligible
You must:
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domestic or international student
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An unconditional offer of admission to undertake PhD on a full-time basis at the Faculty of Medicine and Health.
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Hold an Honours degree (First Class) or a First Class Honours Equivalent Degree or a Master's degree in econometrics, biostatistics, or data science
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Undertake research in Dementia and Aged Care under the supervision of Professor Yun-Hee Jeon.
Tips to Prep for Hiking
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Find and Test Alternate Shoes
It’s fine to have a primary shoe that you think you’ll wear every day on the trail. But know what other shoes your body can tolerate, so you always have a backup plan in place.
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Strength-Train
Strength training is the best way to safeguard against insurmountable strains and insufferable tendonitis on the trail.
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Improve Your Ankle Mobility
Analyse your mobility long before you start, then increase it with stretches and strength training. You can even do these stretches at the end of a hard trail day to maintain mobility.
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Do a Shakedown Hike
A shakedown hike is essentially a long practice trek, where you take your full kit and learn what doesn’t work and what throws you off-balance, then determine what weight is unnecessary.
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Test the Tape
Thinking about using Leukotape to stop blisters or KT Tape to bolster an aching body? Wear them long before you get on trail to ensure you’re not allergic to their adhesives and that you know how to use them properly.
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Avoid Limping
If an injury is causing you to limp, favouring it may make it worse, as it alters your normal stride. Take Ibuprofen, shorter steps, or a day off—do what you must to avoid limping for a prolonged period.
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Don’t Forsake Sunscreen
Stopping by a stream for lunch and a swim? Wearing shorts that expose the backs of your knees? Lather ’em up with sunscreen, because discomfort from sunburn, and especially sun poisoning, can disrupt your stride and instigate injury.
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Shorten Your Stride
Aside from pack weight, there are three primary factors that contribute to the load on your body: mileage, speed, and step length. Mileage is often the least inflexible (you have to get where you’re going, after all), so consider slowing down and shortening your steps to put less burden on your body.
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Pay Attention to the Way You Fall Asleep
Many folks are side sleepers, and that’s fine. But put something (a shirt, a bit of foam padding) between your knees to align your knees and hips and relieve pressure on your joints. Without that extra support, gluteal tendonitis and IT band problems can flare up.
Squeeze Your Butt
As you climb on the trail, engage your glutes by squeezing them, which helps alleviate strain on your knees. Make this a habit and the rest of your body will thank you.
Vacant Position
Member for the Student/Early Career Committee
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If you are interested, please contact: communications@aipn.com.au
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Reports & Publications
Consumer Product Safety Position Paper
In 2019 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) estimated that there are around 780 deaths and 52,000 injuries per year from consumer products due to product failure or malfunction, or where a known design solution or safety equipment was not present, costing at least $5 billion annually.
The ACCC highlighted that these estimates are hindered by limited availability of national product incident data and that only a small proportion of injuries resulting from unsafe consumer products are reported to safety regulators.
Publications
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Direct medical charges of all parties in teen-involved vehicle crashes by culpability
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Regional and temporal trends of falls and injurious falls among Chinese older adults: results from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2011–2018
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Assessing discrepancies in estimates of road traffic deaths in Brazil
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Burden of fatal drowning in California, 2005–2019
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Conferences
2023 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference
Year-on-year, the SMA Conference is a platform for the world's most celebrated sports medicine researchers and practitioners to network and exchange ideas. This year will be no different.
The 2023 ASICS SMA Conference is a unique multidisciplinary event, and includes representation from medical practitioners, allied health professionals, academics, students, and others interested in sports medicine. The rich array of professions is reflected in the Conference program, and fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange across the disciplines. The outstanding clinical program and practical workshops are supplemented by an excellent social program with multiple opportunities for networking, including the Welcome Reception, Gala Dinner and Scientific Poster Session.​
The 10th Biennial Australia and New Zealand Falls Prevention Conference (ANZFP) will for the first time be run as a joint conference with the World Congress on Falls and Postural Stability at the Perth Convention Centre, from the 26-28 November 2023. ANZFP is an initiative of the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society (ANZFPS). The 1st World Congress on Falls and Postural Stability was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 2019-joint initiative of the Malaysian Society of Geriatric Medicine and the British Geriatrics Society.
ANZ Falls Prevention Society and World Falls Congress 2023
World Conference on Drowning Prevention
The confirmed dates for the conference are 4 to 7 December 2023. However, the co-hosts are offering more than just a 3-day conference, extending the events from 1 to 8 December.
Check the Program page for more details.
