Kari Bø, Norway - click to expand

Professor Kari Bø is a physical therapist and exercise scientist at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo. She holds an MSc on body posture and a PhD on pelvic floor muscle training and was appointed professor of exercise science at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education in 1997, achieving the status of vice chancellor from 1999-2001. She was the first vice president of IOPTWH and has been the vice president of the Norwegian Council for Physical Activity for 8 years, directly advising the Norwegian Minister of Health. Kari has written numerous scientific papers and systematic reviews as well as articles, videos/DVDs and books for the lay public.

Her main area of interest and research is pelvic floor function and dysfunction, exercise science and women’s health. She is in the Cochrane review group for conservative treatment of incontinence, has been a member of the first two International Consultations on Incontinence (conservative treatment) and is an appointed member of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy evidence based practice advisory group as well as an elected member of the International Continence Society scientific committee. Kari is a renowned and popular presenter worldwide.

 

Susan Mercer, Australia - click to expand

Susan Mercer has a broad background to her approach to teaching and research in physiotherapy. She has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours - Ergonomics) from the University of Queensland, Australia, a Masters of Science (Health Behaviour – Chronic Pain) from the University of Waterloo, Canada and a PhD (Functional Morphology) from the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

She is currently employed as an Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland, Australia where she contributes to the undergraduate and postgraduate Physiotherapy programmes. Her research is concerned with clinical anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, in particular the anatomy underlying common assessment and treatment techniques. In addition, she is interested in the fascicular architecture of muscles.

 

Augusto Gil Pascoal, Portugal - click to expand

Augusto Gil Pascoal PhD, PT is currently a teacher at the Technical University of Lisbon, Faculty of Human Kinetics (UTL-FMH) and a researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Human Performance Studies (CIPER). He graduated in Physical Education and Sport Exercise from the UTL-FMH, and in Physiotherapy from the Alcoitão High School of Health (ESSA). In 1992 he completed an MSc, and in 2001, a PhD in Human Movement Sciences.

In the last few years he has collaborated with the Portuguese Physiotherapy Association on several post-graduate courses and workshops, regarding women’s health, on the topics of anatomy, kinesiology and basic research methodology.

His main area of interest and research is musculoskeletal functional assessment, particularly shoulder function and the scapulohumeral rhythm, using 3D kinematics, EMG and modelling approaches. Recently, he has been involved in a wider research project about the effect of biomechanical loading on the musculoskeletal system during pregnancy and the postpartum period, in particular the effectiveness of some common abdominal strengthening exercises on abdominal musculature morphology changes and on diastasis rectus abdominis prevention and resolution.

 

Talli Rosenbaum, Israel - click to expand

Talli Yehuda Rosenbaum is a private practice physiotherapist and certified sexuality counselor who graduated from Northwestern University in 1984 and is currently completing her Masters in Clinical Sociology and Counseling. Ms. Rosenbaum serves on the board of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) and currently chairs both the International Outreach and the Counselor Certification committees for the American Association of Sexual Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). She is on the board of the Women's Health Section of the Israeli hysiotherapy Society and is an Israeli delegate to the IOPTWH . She also serves on the Professional Advisory Board of several organizations including the Women's Sexual Health Foundation.

Ms. Rosenbaum has published several book chapters and many peer reviewed and invited journal articles on the topics of the role of the pelvic floor in sexual health, the role of physiotherapy in the treatment of pelvic pain and sexual pain disorders, the treatment of unconsummated marriage, and Judaism and sexuality. In addition to treating patients and couples, she lectures in the Sex Therapy program at Bar Ilan University and participates in the pelvic floor rehabilitation training program in Israel.

 

Britt Stuge, Norway - click to expand

Britt Stuge is currently a senior researcher at Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. She has practised as a physiotherapist since 1982, completing an MSc in 2001 and a PhD in 2005. Britt has worked in clinical practice with women experiencing pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain for nearly 20 years.

Amongst other published works she is co-author of the European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic girdle pain (2008) having been a member of the European Commission group exploring the subject. Britt has presented and led workshops on pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain and stabilizing exercises internationally.

 

The presenters and planning committee reserve the option of changing the presenters and order of presentations based on speaker needs and travel arrangements.

Eva Albuquerque, Portugal - click to expand

Eva has been a physical therapist since 1998, and has undertaken postgraduate study in hydrotherapy. She works in private clinical practice (manual therapy, women’s health, hydrotherapy and exercise) is a clinical instructor, and has been director of the Wellness Center do Hotel do Caracol since 2003. She is the creator of PNF-Chi.

Her workshop is entitled PNF-Chi: A global approach for a specific concern. There will be a short presentation followed by a practical session.

 

Tamsin Brooks, UK - click to expand

Tamsin is a women’s health specialist physiotherapist with a private practice in Derbyshire, United Kingdom. She has a special interest in pelvic girdle pain and pelvic floor dysfunction. She is a tutor on the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health workshops on Pilates in Women’s Health and Antenatal Education, and is currently on the ACPWH working group developing a workshop on the musculoskeletal management of pelvic girdle pain. Tamsin has twice been awarded the ACPWH Anne Bird Prize for her involvement in women’s health physiotherapy in the UK.

Her workshop is entitled Clinical application of Pilates in Women’s Health. "Pilates is an exercise technique widely used within physiotherapy practice, not without its controversy. It has many possible applications within women’s health. Provided the exercises are taught precisely and at the appropriate level it has good rehabilitation value. The links between women’s health physiotherapy, core stability and Pilates will be discussed. There will be a practical element to the workshop which will focus on prescribing Pilates exercises at the correct level, identifying harmful compensations and some useful teaching techniques".

 

Christine Van de Putte, Belgium - click to expand

Christine has had a special interest in women’s health and paediatrics since the start of her career as a physiotherapist. Thirty years ago she started her own private clinic in Bruges (Belgium) where she still lives and works. Giving birth to 4 children fuelled her interest in the field even more. She studied the relevant literature, acquired clinical experience, and started to give courses, being invited by midwifery schools and maternity units to teach and share her experience.

For many years she has taught on the postgraduate course at Ghent University, and given courses within the YVLO Institute in the Netherlands, and the CPDO Institute in London. With her Dutch colleagues she has also taught in the Algarve, Portugal and was invited by UNICEF to lead workshops in Kiev, Ukraine. She also teaches at the Centre for Advanced Postgraduate Education (CAPE) with hands on workshops in women’s health, including pre-and postnatal courses, baby massage and baby care, incontinence and pelvic girdle pain.

Her workshop will be on the Awareness of the Pelvic Floor and Pelvic Girdle during the Childbearing Year (including Dynamic Ultrasound Imaging). "We all recognise the importance of body awareness, in particular the pelvic region. My personal experience with the body ball made me realise what a useful tool it is within a pregnancy and childbirth programme; and mothers like it. The body ball can facilitate movement of the pelvis and the ability to "feel" their pelvic muscles. Good knowledge of the muscles in and around the pelvis gives the mother more confidence throughout the childbearing year and especially during labour. After delivery we again try to achieve a balance of tension and letting go - in the right place, and when necessary. A new tool to use is dynamic ultrasound imaging. This way we can have a direct look of the muscles, how she uses them and what happens inside when using them right (or wrong). It is amazing what an advantage this is!

Learning to tighten up and use the natural pelvic girdle again is necessary to regain the woman’s condition. A good post-natal re-education starts during pre-natal guidance. A controlled "strong" and "stable" pelvis forms the basis of everything that is expected of a woman and that she expects of herself"

 

Britt Stuge, Norway - click to expand

Britt Stuge is currently a senior researcher at Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. She has practised as a physiotherapist since 1982, completing an MSc in 2001 and a PhD in 2005. Britt has worked in clinical practice with women experiencing pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain for nearly 20 years. Amongst other published works she is co-author of the European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic girdle pain (2008) having been a member of the European Commission group exploring the subject. Britt has presented and led workshops on pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain and stabilizing exercises internationally.

Her workshop is entitled What is an optimal treatment for pelvic girdle pain? and will relate to her presentations on the subject, on day 1 of the conference.

 

The presenters and planning committee reserve the option of changing the presenters and order of presentations based on speaker needs and travel arrangements.