Physiopedia is an organisation driven by dedication and teamwork, where every person has a role and the opportunity to grow and contribute towards something meaningful. Rehabilitation is an essential health service worldwide, and it is vital to recognise the loyalty and efforts of those making an impact.
Physiopedia has launched its third Annual Awards Programme to highlight the valuable contributions of collaborators and volunteers alike. Nominations were plentiful, as there are many deserving contributors for each category. A special thank you to all who took the time to submit a nomination for the 2021-2022 period. Just a reminder that the clock has already started for the following awards period; feel free to nominate anyone you feel deserving from July 2022 – June 2023.
Physiopedia thrives because of the enthusiasm and devotion of its volunteers, contributors, associates and partners. The following people are honoured for their outstanding contributions, performance and leadership. Join us in offering a collective BRAVO to all.
Top Contributor
This award is given to the individual who has contributed the most to Physiopedia content this past year. This award is being presented to Lucinda Hampton, for the third consecutive year. Lucinda is an editing power-house and works on Physiopedia pages of all topics. She is always available to offer feedback, mentorship and guidance to other team members. Her selfless giving has contributed to 1,513 Physiopedia pages and 5,731 edits. We are beyond fortunate to have you on the team, Lucinda. Thank you for your dedication to providing evidence-based knowledge to all rehabilitation professionals. You can read more about Lucinda and her fantastic work here!
Physiopedia Superstar
The superstar award is given to the person who has made outstanding contributions by an individual to Physiopedia. This award received several nominations for many impressive candidates; however, one person stood out as the clear choice. Liliane Kirenga is an impressive member of the volunteer Content Team. She is always enthusiastic and motivated and does not shy away from challenges. Liliane was one of the first volunteers to join the new volunteer rotation programme. She is passionate about physiotherapy and is always on hand to share her knowledge with the volunteer team and her colleagues in Rwanda. You can read more about Liliane here.
Best Project
New content development is a major driving force behind the creation of Physiopedia pages. Physiopedia has many partnering organisations (including educational, clinical and professional organisations) who contribute to the growth of content on specific topics through Physiopedia projects. This year, we are highlighting the efforts of Alison Hoens.
- Resisted Exercise Initiative (RExI)
- Total Joint Arthroplasty and Outcome Measures Toolkit
- The Canadian C-Spine Rule Project
- Lateral Epicondyle Tendinopathy Toolkit
- Achilles Tendinopathy Toolkit
- SAFEMOB Project
A special thank you to Alison and her team for their impactful contributions to Physiopedia content.
Social Media Impact Award
Where would we be without social media? Physiopedia initiatives, projects, content and contributions are highlighted daily on several platforms including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. This award is given to the person who has helped move the needle forward and carved out a vital rehabilitation presence on social media. This award is given to Ziya Altug, whose thoughtful posts and tweets have helped share the Physiopedia and Plus message.
Ziya Altug is an instructor on Plus and has 12 courses with more than 1317 participants. His courses on Plus focus on teaching therapists how to ingrate lifestyle medicine and art-based therapies into the management of different patient populations. Ziya is always eager to promote Plus and his courses. He gladly shares his ideas with the Plus team about promotion on social media. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm and knowledge with the rehabilitation community.
Plus Superstar
Plus offers a great repertoire of online courses, professional development options and opportunities to interact with rehabilitation subject matter experts. It takes curiosity, time and dedication to complete courses and learning activities, and we would like to acknowledge the efforts of Peter Blokland who has collected the most Physioplus Points. Peter is a student at THIM, the International School of Physiotherapy in The Netherlands. With a natural curiosity and professional discipline to complete so many online rehabilitation courses, in addition to his studies, we have no doubt he will be an exemplary clinician. Super job, keep up the lifelong learning.
Physiospot Superstar
Physiospot is a great platform to highlight important issues and questions for the profession of physiotherapy. It is also an excellent virtual stage to showcase Physiopedia initiatives and contributions. The Physiospot Superstar award is given to the individual with the most posts or the most impactful post on the Physiospot platform; this year the honour goes to Scott Buxton.
Scott was among the first Physiopedia volunteers and was a driving force behind the development and success of Physiospot. He has worn many hats over his ten years on the team but really settled into his role on the communications team as Physiospot Editor. Scott’s tireless devotion to creating great engaging content will remain with Physiopedia for many years to come. Scott has now transitioned into a managerial role within the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. Thank you for all your contributions Scott; you will always be a member of team Physiopedia.
Outstanding Leadership
Although many candidates are worthy of this recognition, there is one person who received overwhelming support for this nomination; Kim Jackson manages the Physiopedia content and volunteer team . Kim has been with the team since 2018 and is a strong mentor to her colleagues, students and knowledge-users alike. Kim has an unshakable focus and a vision which has helped support Physiopedia being among the top 50 medical websites in the world. She drives the Content Development Projects, supports content development by Physiopedia volunteers, piloted the first virtual supervision of physiotherapy students with Physiopedia and is a regular contributor to Physiospot. Kim is a natural leader and inspires the team to reach its potential. Kim, thank you for all you do and for being a beacon of stability and drive.
Innovation Award
This award deserves particular consideration, as it highlights the creativity and innovation occurring within the physiotherapy profession. It is with dynamic projects that our profession can grow and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of patients and the health care system as a whole. This year’s honour is given to Filip Maric.
Dr Filip Maric is a physiotherapist with a particular interest in critical physiotherapy and the link between physiotherapy, health, and the environment. He is the Founder and Executive Chair of the Environmental Physiotherapy Association (EPA). Filip is coordinating the creation of the Environmental Physiotherapy Programme on Plus. The programme currently has five courses. Through this programme, Filip is inviting physiotherapists from around the world to get involved in the collaborative exploration, development and implementation of Environmental Physiotherapy. Filip is also steering the Environmental Physiotherapy Project on Physiopedia. This project aims to develop content related to the many links between human health, functioning, physiotherapy and our planetary environment. Filip, your dedication to making a difference in physiotherapy is evident to anyone who has read your research, participated in one of your courses or follows you on social media (@filipmaricpt). Thank you for inspiring all of us to implement change.
Global Impact Award
This award goes to an individual who has demonstrated a high level of thoughtfulness for others (peers and patients) and always incorporates maximum effort towards any given project. Andrea Sturm has dedicated her professional efforts to developing the scope of ethical practices in physiotherapy. She has contributed to Physiopedia content, shared her knowledge through courses on Plus and translated her research at international conferences. Andrea, you are without a doubt, deserving of this global impact award, as you are our ethical guide in an ever-changing and at times unstable world.
Andrea is a doctoral candidate at the Interuniversity College for Health and Development Graz, studying professional ethics in Physiotherapy for her PhD in Education Sciences. She is also the Instructor of the Ethics Programme on Plus, with over 11 courses published. Andrea also has a Master of Education and an invested interest in the topic of Mental Health. She is a self-less researcher and clinician dedicated to developing ethical frameworks in physiotherapy. This is such an important topic, Andrea; a genuine thank you for your pioneering work on ethical practices for physiotherapy.
Congratulations to all of our award recipients.
Please take the time to pause and appreciate the efforts put forth by the recipients mentioned above. Their efforts have no doubt enriched your knowledge and made an impact on your practice. Send them a reminder as to how their contributions have mattered to you.
A sincere thank you to all who believe in Physiopedia and its mission and who make being involved with this organisation such an enriching experience. Keep an eye out for next year’s awards and recipients – it may be you!
Awards Summary 2021-2022
| AWARDED to: | AWARDS |
| Lucinda Hampton | Top Contributor -made the most contributions to Physiopedia content |
| Liliane Kirenga | Physiopedia Superstar – outstanding contributions by an individual |
| Alison Hoens | Best Project – most impactful content development project |
| Z Altug | Social Media Impact Award – most impact made through social media |
| Peter Blokland | Physioplus Superstar – individual has who collected the most Physioplus points |
| Scott Buxton | Physiospot Superstar – individual with the most posts and contributions on Physiospot |
| Kim Jackson | Outstanding Leadership – the individual that demonstrates great leadership as any part of the Physiopedia project |
| Filip Maric | Innovation Award – most forward-thinking and creative contributions |
| Andrea Sturm | Impact Award – the contribution that has made the greatest impact on the global profession |
Well done and until next year! Submit your nominations for 2022-2023 here!