Further information on the content of these sessions will be made available once details have been confirmed.
Addressing contemporary challenges in the management of spasticity, this session will cover topics including the real-world impact of public clinic capacity constraints and how this can be balanced against the value of early intervention for spasticity patients. The discussion will also explore considerations when treating special patient populations.
Join colleagues and peers from Australia and New Zealand for this workshop-style session with our multidisciplinary rehabilitation medicine panel. Groups will participate in interactive case study-based activities that address implementation of patient-centred goals informed by lived experience, practical considerations for treatment decision making and delivery, and multidisciplinary team engagement and approaches for best-practice clinical management of AS.
1. Verduzco‑Gutierrez M, et al. AAPM&R consensus guidance on spasticity assessment and management. PM&R. 2024;16(8):864-887.
Dr Stephen de Graaff is a Past President of the Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (Royal Australasian College of Physicians). He is Director of Pain Services and Senior Rehabilitation Physician at Epworth Healthcare. He is a Fellow of the AFRM (RACP) and a Founding Member of the Rehabilitation Society of Australia and New Zealand (RMSANZ).
Dr de Graaff is the Chair of the RMSANZ Spasticity Management Special Interest Group. His areas of research interest include Stroke Rehabilitation, Spasticity Management, Pain Management, Post-Polio Sequelae & Continuing Professional Development. He has presented at both national and international meetings and co-authored a number of papers in these domains and currently is involved in a number of research projects particularly in spasticity management and pain management.
Chronic and neuropathic pain remain major barriers to functional recovery in rehabilitation settings. This sponsored session will explore the evolving role of medicinal cannabis within multidisciplinary rehabilitation care. Through an evidence-based presentation and interactive clinical discussion with a rehabilitation and pain specialist, attendees will review current research, safety considerations and practical prescribing pathways. The session will also examine real-world patient outcomes including pain reduction, sleep improvement and functional participation. Designed for rehabilitation clinicians, this session will provide practical insights to support informed decision-making when managing complex pain and multimorbidity within contemporary rehabilitation practice.
Dr Tim Ho, MBBS (Hons), MSc (Biopharm), FAFRM (RACP), FFPM (ANZCA), FACHAM (RACP), is a dual-trained Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine Physician and Addiction Medicine Specialist. He specialises in neuropathic, musculoskeletal, and complex chronic pain, with expertise in multidisciplinary pain management and interventional therapies. Dr Ho is a former NSW Director of the Australian Pain Society and serves as a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sydney. Known for his research and clinical interest in emerging approaches to pain management, including neuromodulation and connectomics, he is committed to advancing evidence-based care and improving outcomes for people living with chronic pain.