PEAK Training

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing use of telehealth to deliver physiotherapy services in Australia, the Centre for Health, Exercise & Sports Medicine (CHESM) at the University of Melbourne has fast-tracked the release of our PEAK (Physiotherapy Exercise and physical Activity for Knee osteoarthritis) program training modules. The program is available free-of-charge at this time to all users (e.g. physiotherapists, physiotherapy students, educators, researchers).

The PEAK program was devised by physiotherapists (led by Profs Rana Hinman and Kim Bennell) at the University of Melbourne on the basis of research evidence. It guides physiotherapists in how to implement best-practice care to people with knee osteoarthritis, delivered over 5 one-to-one consultations, via video-conferencing (using the Zoom platform) or during face-to-face 'in-person consultations.

The PEAK program focuses on patient empowerment through education, prescription of a strengthening exercise program and a physical activity plan, individualised to patient needs, and using minimal exercise equipment (e.g. elastic resistance bands and/or body weight) to enable patients to perform exercise independently at home.

Many of the principles and concepts are applicable to other common musculoskeletal conditions, and to other telehealth video-conferencing platforms. Importantly, a suite of useful patient resources (including a Zoom consultation preparation booklet, an exercise booklet, an osteoarthritis information booklet, a knee plan and log book) are provided digitally with course upgrade, so that physiotherapists may print/download them or use with their patients in a clinical setting. The PEAK program also provides physiotherapists and patients with access to a website of PEAK exercise videos.