CPA: Physiotherapy’s Role in the Opioid Crisis

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) represents over 14,000 physiotherapists, physiotherapist assistants and physiotherapist students across Canada.

For the past two decades, Canadians have been told that prescription opioid medications are safe, effective, non-addictive solutions for acute, chronic and persistent pain – which we now know is not accurate. The use of prescription opioids has grown in Canada and has now reached a crisis level. Lack of access to physiotherapy and interdisciplinary pain care is an important contributor to this crisis.

To address this challenge, CPA has created a toolkit for physiotherapists to use in their practice, with their patients, in public education forums, and in their community.

Throughout May, watch for our social media campaign, press releases to community newspapers and a shoPTalk blog series.

While this is a serious issue, we are, in fact, celebrating the role of PT in pain management and highlighting the ways that physiotherapy is able to help the opioid crisis. This is one of the most pressing areas where “physiocanhelp”.

From local NPM events, to social media, to information for the general public, we have created engagement tools that we hope will help you deliver the right messages at the right time to the right audiences.

Read about our advocacy project here, and visit our e-store for NPM resources. All resources for NPM are free of charge to members (except a small shipping charge). Additionally get resources for patients and caregivers here.

Don’t forget to share what you do via Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtags #PhysioCanNPM & #PhysioCanHelp.

We wish you all the best of luck with your local NPM events!