Sue Croft OAM graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 1977 and has spent the last 46 years working continuously in her profession and giving to her community. In January 2023 she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for Services to Community Health as a Physiotherapist.
She initially practised general physiotherapy at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Mater Hospital. Following the birth of her children she tutored at the University of Queensland and commenced taking antenatal education classes at the Mater Hospital developing her interest in Women’s Health. Since 1988, Sue has worked continuously in Women’s Health and Continence promotion and Pelvic Health Physiotherapy.
Sue has written three books since 2011 on pelvic floor dysfunction which have since gone into a total of eight editions. Pelvic Floor Recovery: Physiotherapy for Gynaecological Repair Surgery, specifically for women to prepare for or recover successfully from hysterectomy and/or gynaecological repair surgery and Pelvic Floor Essentials which covers the essential information about the bladder, bowel and pelvic floor including treatment of urinary incontinence, urgency, frequency, prolapse management, bowel dysfunction and pelvic pain.
Sue has now released the German translated version of ‘Pelvic Floor Recovery’ titled ‘Beckenbodenrehabilitation – Physiotherapie für die gynäkologische und kolorektale Chirurgie’.
Sue is a registered physiotherapist, a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, the National Women’s, Men’s and Children’s Pelvic Health Group, the International Continence Society, IUGA and has retired as an active member of the Queensland Branch of the Continence Foundation of Australia after over 30 years participation.
Sue’s ongoing commitment to Continuing Education is important to ensure that the most recent research is being accessed in order to provide the best evidence-based treatment strategies for her patients. Conferences, workshops and journal articles are regularly used to update knowledge and up-skill. Sue is regularly asked to lecture at education forums for medical staff, physiotherapists, nurses and for the public.
Some of her committee positions and speaking commitments over the past decade are listed below:-
2023 Awarded Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her services to community health as a physiotherapist.
2023 Speaking on the Pelvic Health Podcast on Burnout with Lori Forner, Joeline Murdoch and Tamara Woods.
2023 Speaking with Michelle Lyons on Urinary Incontinence Assessment and Management
2023 Speaking on Sophie Walker’s Podcast Australian Birth Stories on Birth Predictive Factors
1991 to 2021 Continence Foundation of Australia (CFA) Committee member. Sue has been President and Vice President of this committee at different times over the 30 years. Recently retired.
2021 UroGynaecological Society of Australia (UGSA). Allied Health workshop November, Sydney- convener invited by Dr Alexandra Mowat CU FRANZCOG MBBS BECON (LAW).
2021 ‘Woman on Fire’ conference (UK) two lectures Prolapse, Pessaries and Physiotherapy and The Biopsychosocial Management of Persistent Pelvic Pain invited by Michelle Lyons, Physiotherapist, Ireland.
2020 October Continence Foundation of Australia (CFA) Conference Co-Chair Scientific Committee with Dr Peta Higgs RANZCOG. This collaboration took 12 months – organising speakers and content for the full conference.
2020 March, she was asked by Mrs Ans Van Erp to do a Webinar on Pelvic Floor Dysfunction for Zonta which reached regional and rural women who are less able to access this assistance in their area.
2020 February Invited by Dr Anders Faber-Swensson to talk on Physiotherapy Management of Pelvic Pain: A Biopsychosocial Approach
2019 ‘Pelvic Health’ Podcast invited by Lori Forner, Physiotherapist, Brisbane.
2019 ‘Pilates’ Podcast invited by Louise Taube, Pilates Instructor, Brisbane.
2019 International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) Podcast invited by Dr Albert DeDecker MD Leuven; Specialist (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) Leuven.
2019 Sonographers Conference, Brisbane. Invited to speak on Sonography in Pelvic floor Physiotherapy.
2019 USGA National conference invited by Dr Judith Goh to talk on Sexual Dysfunction.
2018 March Continence Foundation of Australia (CFA) State Conference Organizer. This took 6 months to organise all speakers and content.
2017 Stomal Therapy Conference presenter. Physiotherapy Management of Urinary and Faecal Incontinence
2016 Presented two lectures on Physiotherapy Management of OASIS Injuries and Pelvic Floor Safe Exercising at the World Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Brisbane
2014-2016 Yearly speaker at GP workshops on Physiotherapy Management of Urinary Incontinence, Pelvic Pain and Bowel Dysfunction. Invited By Dr Judith Goh
2013 Colorectal Conference, New Zealand, invited to speak on Physiotherapy Management of Obstructed Defaecation and run a 3-hour workshop for NZ physiotherapists the next day by Dr Rowan Collinson, MBChB (Auckland) FRACS.
2012 International Urogynecological Association (IUGA), Brisbane, invited to speak on Physiotherapy Management of Persistent Pelvic Pain.
Member of Continence Foundation of Australia, National conference in Queensland Scientific Committee
Speaker many public lectures on pelvic floor dysfunction on behalf of Continence Foundation of Australia (CFA).
Three books written with eight continually updated editions by Sue: ‘Pelvic Floor Recovery – Physiotherapy for Gynaecological and Colorectal Surgery’ and ‘Pelvic Floor Essentials’ are on the recommended reading list for University of Queensland Physiotherapy Course, and the University of Melbourne and Curtain University postgraduate Physiotherapy courses. ‘Recovery’ has been translated into German and titled ‘Beckenbodenrehabilitation – Physiotherapie für die gynäkologische und kolorektale Chirurgie’.