Moving Forward Together. Part 5: Championing Physical Therapy Allyship and Advocacy for Indigenous Peoples With Musculoskeletal Pain
In the fifth article of the ‘Moving Forward Together’ series, we explore the role of allyship and advocacy in improving the musculoskeletal health of Indigenous Peoples. Aligned with the truth telling and healing required in response to the ongoing impacts of colonisation, these are important concepts for physical therapists to understand and act upon to improve musculoskeletal health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples. Our group – comprising Indigenous clinicians and/or academics from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia and Canada, alongside non-Indigenous colleagues—collaborated to conceptualise allyship and advocacy in the context of musculoskeletal physical therapy. Using a socioecological model, we propose actions and share resources to support the physical therapist in allyship and advocacy, and to drive change in clinical, education and research organisations and systems.
Authors
- Samantha Bunzli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5747-9361)
- Ben J.S. Darlow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6248-6814)
- Blair Dixon
- Hemakumar Devan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2923-7277)
- Jenny Setchell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1946-4492)
- Brooke Conley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1677-4540)
- Moni Fricke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3496-0064)
- Peter O’Sullivan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3982-4088)
- Ivan B. Lin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6901-2569)
- Joanne Bolton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1776-6948)
- Rachel Toovey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7860-3846)
- Ellie White (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9112-1734)
- Robin Roots
- Kore Tombs
- Sarah Large
- Miranda Buhler
- Pamela Roach
- Jane Linton
Institutions
- Griffith University (AU)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- New South Wales Department of Health (AU)
- University of Northern British Columbia (CA)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- University of Calgary (CA)
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- University of Canterbury (NZ)
- Curtin University (AU)
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (AU)
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (AU)
- Government of New Zealand (NZ)
- O'Brien Institute (AU)
- Tharawal Aboriginal (AU)
- Positive Living North (CA)
- Biruni University (TR)
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences (US)
- Collaborative Research Group (AU)
- Nation University (TH)
- Guyra Paraguay (PY)
- Northern Sydney Local Health District (AU)
- Klinički Bolnički Centar Rijeka (HR)
- Australian Physiotherapy Association (AU)
- University of Manitoba (CA)
- University of Otago (NZ)
- Senshu University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy
- Published
- 2026-04-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2026.13858
- Primary Topic
- Musculoskeletal Disorders and Rehabilitation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00