Tradies Health Month Campaign Kicks Off Saturday With Shane Jacobson

Tradies National Health Month, a month-long awareness campaign by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), kicks off this Saturday 1st August. Tradies across the country will be encouraged to hit the nail on the head when it comes to their health, both physically and mentally.

Released today, the APA has created a follow up to last year’s viral video ‘Sh*t Tradies Never Say’ with a tongue-in-cheek look into ‘The Real Tradies of Melbourne’. Featuring actor and comedian Shane Jacobson and narrated by Australian TV legend Ray Martin, the video tackles serious topics such as musculoskeletal issues, work place safety and healthy eating.

Making her first appearance since departing The Real Housewives of Melbourne, Andrea Moss also makes a fun cameo. The Block and Reno Rumble favourites Kyal and Kara Demmrich, a carpenter and physiotherapist respectively, will also join Jacobson as ‘friends of the tradies’ to help spread the message this month.

According to Safe Work Australia’s Key Work Health & Safety Report 2014, one in five serious workplace injuries involve a tradie, ranking the industry the third most affected in Australia. While an APA focus group in 2014 found that as a group tradies tend to ignore any pain they suffer. Some 75 per cent of respondents stated they regularly disregard discomfort, with their attitude to pain contradicting professional opinion; a slight ache or strain is not classified as anything to worry about.

In its third year, the annual campaign focuses on tradie health (physical and psychological) and work place safety. It will also place emphasis on the benefits from regularly seeing a physiotherapist. Recognised as one of Australia’s most labour intensive industries, the APA uses this campaign to collaborate with industry partners, physiotherapists and tradies to educate and offer support to tradespeople across the country.

“We are really proud of the way this campaign continues to grow each year. We must continue to emphasise to Aussie tradies that while they’re building the nation, they must also ensure they are taking precautions to guarantee their own health and well being,” said APA national president Marcus Dripps.

“With such a high incidence rate across the board, tradies really need to start putting their health first. As a physiotherapist, I see first hand the types of ongoing injuries these people suffer. What starts as a small niggle can escalate into a lifelong injury. It’s important to prevent the incidents early by introducing correct lifting techniques, stretches and regular visits to a physiotherapist,” stated Dripps.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association is the peak body representing the interests of Australian physiotherapists and their patients. The Australian Physiotherapy Association is a national organisation with non-autonomous state and territory branches and specialty subgroups.

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