CLINICAL PAIN NEUROSCIENTIST TALKS ABOUT HOW THE BRAIN PROCESSES PAIN INFORMATION Trial: affects on pain and activity levels, by educating knee osteoarthritis participants in individualised exercise programs
With
Tasha Stanton,
Associate Professor of Clinical Pain Neuroscience
Group, Leader Persistent Pain Research Group (Lifelong Health)
SAHMRI (South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute) &
co-Director of IMPACT in Health, University of South Australia
SEGMENT
Filmed in Adelaide | March 2026
The Persistent Pain Research Group’s vision is to work hand-in-hand with consumers to undertake impactful research that helps better understand and treat persistent pain.
Their studies span discovery to implementation science to determine key contributors to the development and maintenance of persistent pain and to use this information to create novel brain-based interventions.
They hold expertise in developing new technologies, such as virtual and mediated reality, and translating these technologies to the clinical environment, using innovative co-design methods.
The Persistent Pain Research Group studies a variety of painful conditions, with specific focus on:
- Osteoarthritis
- Spinal pain (neck and back)
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Phantom limb pain after amputation
Persistent pain affects one in five Australians and costs the nation an estimated $73 billion per year in health system costs, lost productivity and other financial costs.
Persistent pain also has debilitating personal costs – negatively impacting quality of life and the ability to engage in meaningful work and life activities.
Despite the enormity of this problem, very few effective treatments exist with most showing only small to moderate improvements. New treatments are desperately needed. The group believes the best way to create impactful change is to work with people with lived experience of persistent pain to devise solutions with them, not for them.
Source: SAHMRI webpage Persistent Pain Research Group
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Lower back pain presentations in Emergency Department
Around 70 percent of people will experience lower back pain at some stage of their lives.
A recent study conducted over five years found one in three people suffering from lower back pain presented to hospital via an ambulance.In many cases people will attend an emergency department when they feel they can’t manage their pain or when treatments by community healthcare services have been ineffective or inaccessible due to location or cost. However, 90 per cent of people can get better on their own in a few weeks.
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Elevating Professional Standards in the Medtech and Pharmaceutical Sector
ARCS Australia Ltd, the peak body representing professionals in the MedTech and Pharmaceutical sector, this week announced a series of significant changes at its annual conference.
Dr Tim Boyle, CEO of ARCS Australia Ltd speaking to Australian Health Journal says, “These initiatives are central to strategy to build professionalism within the sector, increase capability and enhance the professional standing of its members.”
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Study reveals socioeconomic barriers to children’s healthcare access
Research published in the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) has revealed mental health and developmental–behavioural issues such as ADHD are the most common paediatric referrals in metropolitan general practices.
But the research also revealed children at higher risk are less likely to get the care they may need.
