Head and Neck Cancer Physiotherapy

Gerben van Hinte is a Physiotherapist and Phd. student at the Radboud university medical center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. His professional and research interests are in the field of cancer rehabilitation, with a special focus on patients with head and neck cancer. He is currently in the final stages of completing his PhD. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9357-5388 Liisa Laakso is Honorary Associate Professor Dr Liisa Laakso is Senior Research Fellow Allied Health at the Mater Research Institute, Brisbane; and Professor of Physiotherapy in the School of Allied Health Sciences at Griffith University, Gold Coast. Prof Laakso’s research interests include the role of electrophysical agents (EPAs) and physical activity in symptom control and recovery after cancer, and in palliative care. Prof Laakso investigates exercise and muscle performance, physical activity and EPAs especially photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy for pain and lymphoedema management, tissue healing, inflammation and neurodegeneration in a range of nonmalignant and malignant laboratory and clinical models and populations. In this webinar Gerben presents on identifying unmet needs and limitations in physical health in survivors of Head and Neck Cancer, and reproducibility of measurements on physical performance in head and neck cancer survivors (measurements on maximum mouth opening, shoulder and neck function, upper and lower body strength, level of physical mobility, and walking ability). Liisa presents on treatment and prevention aspects of oral mucositis by photobiomodulation therapy (integrating aspects relevant to tissue healing, head and neck pain, and lymphoedema).