Dr. Jo Milios

Dr. Jo Milios is a clinical researcher and men’s health physiotherapist who has a special interest in prostate cancer rehabilitation and has recently completed PhD studies at the University of Western Australia. In her thesis, "Therapeutic Interventions for Patients With Prostate Cancer: A Focus on Urinary Incontinence, Erectile Dysfunction and Peyronie’s Disease," quality-of-life impacts were investigated. Two randomized controlled trials were conducted, aimed at reducing the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) and erectile dysfunction (ED). The first investigated pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training in men, comparing "usual care" to "high-intensity" functional training, and concluded preoperative exercise programs were significant in reducing bothersome ??? [missing word] in the intervention group. A second RCT utilizing therapeutic ultrasound to treat scar tissue in the 1 in 6 men who develop Peyronie’s disease following treatment for prostate cancer was also completed. This too had significant outcomes and has led to change in the management of a distressing problem for an additional 10% of the male population.

Jo has presented her research findings at many international conferences, including the World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) conferences WCPT15, 17, and 19; Asia-Pacific Prostate Cancer Conferences (APCC) 2014–2018; Australian Physiotherapy Transform Conference 2019; Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) for the American Physiotherapy Association (APTA) in 2020; and locally at Men’s Sheds, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and ANZUS Conferences 2011–2020. Recent publications include papers in the ANZ Continence Journal (2018, 2019), BMC Urology (2019), and Sexual Medicine (2020). Further papers are in review, and aspirations to address the lesser-known quality-of-life impacts from radiation therapy for prostate cancer are a new focus with colleagues from the University of Western Australia.

In addition to research, Jo provides teaching workshops throughout Australia and internationally for physiotherapists and students, and lectures at Charles Sturt and Curtin Universities. In 2012 she established PROST! Exercise 4 Prostate Cancer Inc., a not-for profit organization that provides an exercise and peer support program for any man diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Recently, Jo has also written and delivered online teaching courses for APTA, the NZ Physiotherapy Association, APA (in development), and Canadian Physiotherapy Pelvic Health Solutions organizations, and has impending teaching courses in Japan and Israel. Finally, in June 2020, Jo won the Western Australia 2020 Men's Health Award from the Australian Men’s Health Forum for her work in men’s health physiotherapy.