Keynote Speaker: Sophie Heywood

Speaker Profile:

Sophie Heywood, Australia

Sophie is an Australian Sports Physiotherapist and completed her B Physio (Hons) and Master (Sports Physiotherapy) at the University of Melbourne and a certificate in Hydrotherapy from the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (UK). She was a Churchill Fellow in 2008 and travelled to the US, UK and Europe investigating aquatic physiotherapy and chronic disease. Sophie is currently completing a PhD in the biomechanics of aquatic exercise. She is particularly interested in understanding movement and forces in water in lower limb exercises to prescribe more effective aquatic rehabilitation programs. Sophie works at the Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre and coordinates the aquatic physiotherapy teaching at Monash University. She is the Australian Physiotherapy Association Aquatic Physiotherapy group representative to the WCPT network Aquatic Physical Therapy International. Sophie has taught courses and been a keynote speaker at conferences both in Australian and overseas. Her research background includes a randomized controlled trial in aquatic physiotherapy in hip and knee osteoarthritis, core stability in water polo players, analysis of movement in water and strength outcomes following aquatic exercise. Sophie has also worked at a professional football club in aquatic recovery and rehabilitation including a trial in aquatic physiotherapy versus contrast immersion and underwater treadmills in recovery.