WHARPD - Women's Health Alliance for Research and Professional Development

WHARPD

What did this initiative focus on?

Pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period and menopause may potentially contribute to some debilitating conditions specific for women only. Women’s Health physiotherapy is focused on female conditions such as pelvic floor disorders, pelvic girdle and low back pain and abdominal dysfunctions and is a growing field for evidence-based practice, helping women to treat and solve some of these challenges. Physiotherapy practice in Norway has been strongly based on scientific evidence, and some of the most internationally recognized professionals in this area are from Norway. This initiative will promote a unique opportunity to get together the two countries, learn from each other and investigate potential collaborations.

It will aim to achieve the following two objectives: (a) increase attention to women’s health issues and building capacity to increase the conduct of women’s health research to address critical knowledge gaps, increasing the delivery of evidence-based physiotherapy care tailored to women’s needs; (b) establish the minimum criteria for the courses, advanced training and specialization a physiotherapist should have to be considered a specialist in his/her country.