With lockdowns, border closures and the continuing uncertainty of COVID-19, we are pleased to announce that ACA Conference 2021 is still proceeding but will now take place online!
ACA Conference 2021 will be held over two days on an interactive online platform, with a streamlined timetable allowing you to attend live sessions as well as providing an opportunity to catch up on sessions you may have missed, up to three months after the event.
Taking place on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 October, each day will run live for approximately five hours, with short breaks included between sessions. In addition to eight hours of learning across both days, delegates will have access to recordings from the other stream. This totals 16 hours of learning that may form part of your CPD learning goals.
Much more than simply a streamed event, the interactive online platform contains a 3D mode, allowing delegates to walk through a virtual conference centre. Supported by a live host, you will be able to ‘walk’ into live sessions and catch up on recorded sessions.
This Year’s Theme
The theme for ACA Conference 2021 will centre on all you need to know about the female patient and their unique health needs. Regardless of your gender, you’ll be able to take this valuable knowledge back to your practice and gain a further understanding of this important area in a single weekend.
Women spend more money on chiropractic care than men, as shown by private health insurance data on general treatment benefits, including chiropractic.1 With female patients likely to outnumber your male patients, it’s important that all chiropractors are aware of the unique health needs of the female patient.
The Department of Health reports that lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain are experienced by up to 84% of pregnant women.2 Additionally, pelvic pain is more common in pregnant women with a previous history of low back pain.3 Studies show that spinal manipulation can help relax pelvic floor muscles and be of benefit for pregnant women during natural delivery.4
Some conditions simply affect women disproportionately. For example, osteoporosis is four times more common in women than in men.5
Meet our Speakers
This year’s speakers include physiotherapist Jennifer Guest, naturopath Erica Smith, and chiropractors Drs Katelyn McGregor, Andrea Huddleston and Julie Uren.
Physiotherapist and senior pilates educator Jennifer Guest will be speaking on the pelvic floor musculature. Jen’s first session will focus on the fascial connections of the pelvic floor and its integration into the muscular slings that flow throughout the body acting as force levers on the skeleton. Her second session on weakness versus hypertonicity, will discuss the issue of incontinence and will look at the pelvic floor involvement in the cylinder of support and its ability to dynamically stabilise the spine as a whole.
Naturopath and Metagenics presenter Erica Smith is bringing her special interest in women’s health and insightful knowledge of foundational nutrition to chiropractors. Hormonal imbalance underlies the common painful and fatiguing concerns of PMS, endometriosis, PCOS and menopause. Erica turns around the notion that hormones control women’s health. Instead, she will explain the critical factors that orchestrate this dynamic aspect of health, and what it takes to naturally restore balance and manage pain.
Geelong-based chiropractor Katelyn McGregor is a leader in the care of woman as they navigate pregnancy, birth and the post-natal journey. With decades of learning and experience as a birth educator, professional birth support and chiropractor, Katelyn brings a wealth of experience in the care of the pregnant patient. Katelyn’s session will uncover clinical considerations for the pregnant patient by looking at managing risk and identifying red flags.
Integrative chiropractor Dr Andrea Huddleston is excited to bring her ‘obsession’ with women’s health to delegates at this year’s Conference. Practicing in Perth, Andrea is the co-host of the award winning podcast Wellness Women Radio and is affectionately referred to as ‘the period whisperer’ by her patients. Each of Andrea’s sessions will focus on different aspects of health and the essential principles to run a successful, women’s health focused practice.
After many years of working as a midwife, Dr Julie Uren was inspired to become a chiropractor, like her husband. Based in Sydney, Julie’s desire is to help chiropractors fully understand how the choices made around pregnancy and birth have profound implications on the health and wellbeing of the mother, child and family. Julie’s session will review the current research/information around the epidemiology of birth and the current research on specific procedures used in pregnancy and birth.
Additional Sessions
Ahead of the Conference weekend is the ACA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). Utilising this interactive online platform, the AGM will take place on Friday 22 October from 7:30pm AEDT. As always, the AGM will cover developments in the Association over the past year, celebrate the winners of the ACA Awards and announce the three Directors elected to the ACA Board. For more information on the AGM, visit members.chiro.org.au/agm
Our annual Research Symposium will consist of a range of presentations highlighting the latest developments within chiropractic research. The Chiropractic Board of Australia will hold a special 15 minute presentation to address delegates on important matters relating to the profession. As part of the ACA’s Reconciliation Action Plan, we are excited to offer Cultural Competence training for the first time, addressing the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by building cultural acceptance and understanding.
Register Today
ACA Conference provides a great opportunity to learn from distinguished speakers, catch up on the latest chiropractic research, accumulate CPD hours and virtually connect with your peers – all in one weekend.
Together, we can better serve the unique health needs of our female patients. We hope that you will join us online this October. For more information on ACA Conference 2021, visit acaconference.org.au
References:
1. Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (2021) Quarterly Private Health Insurance Statistics March 2021.
2.Homer C, Oats J. Clinical practice guidelines: Pregnancy care. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health, 2018; p. 355–57.
3.Bjelland E, Eskild A, Johansen R et al (2010) Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy: the impact of parity. Am J Obstet Gynecol 203(2): 146.e1–e6.
4.Heidi Haavik, BSc (Chiro), PhDip (Science), PhD, a Bernadette A. Murphy, DC, MSc, PhD, b and Jennifer Kruger, BSc (Nursing), MSc, PhD (2016): Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Pelvic Floor Functional Changes in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women: A Preliminary Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Volume 39, Number 5.
5.Alswat K. A. (2017). Gender Disparities in Osteoporosis. Journal of clinical medicine research, 9(5), 382–387. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr2970w