Inside the Journal of Physiotherapy editorial board

Professor Rana Hinman FACP (a Specialist Research Physiotherapist as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2025) is no stranger to editorial boards. 

As an experienced research physiotherapist who has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers, she has sat on seven boards throughout her career. 

However, it was Journal of Physiotherapy’s distinctive Australian flavour and its reputation for producing high-quality, impactful research that appealed to her after her seven-year stint on the editorial board of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal. 

‘The skills I’d learnt at the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal have complemented my work at Journal of Physiotherapy nicely.

‘In the almost nine years that I’ve been serving on the Journal of Physiotherapy board, I’ve worked in two different portfolios: the critically appraised papers portfolio and more recently the clinical practice guidelines portfolio.’ 

This latter work involves searching the literature to identify recent, high-quality clinical guidelines across any area relevant to the Journal’s audience. 

Rana works alongside editorial board member Associate Professor Kate Hayward FACP to select these guidelines and to find experienced researchers (typically physiotherapists) who can provide impartial commentary on the guidelines, with two clinical appraisals published per issue. 

‘Outside of the portfolios we take part in quarterly online meetings and an annual face-to-face editorial board meeting over one to two days.’

For Rana, one of the highlights of working with Journal of Physiotherapy is its narrower research focus and the size of the board, compared with her time on the board of BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 

‘The physiotherapy research world is smaller in comparison. We have a smaller editorial board, predominantly comprised of national members, with a small number of international members. 

‘It’s a great group of physiotherapists to work with. 

‘I’ve enjoyed the collaboration and the collegiality of working with this group of people, many of whom I hadn’t met before joining the board but whose work I’d already read and respected.’

Journal of Physiotherapy offers its editorial board members the opportunity to apply for up to three three-year terms. 

Rana says she has particularly appreciated this extended time with the board as she completes her third and final term. 

‘You can be involved for a sustained period of time, which helps you build your own experience and expertise on the board. 

‘It enables you to make sustained and meaningful contributions over time across a range of portfolios.’

Over her time working with Journal of Physiotherapy, Rana has seen the rise of open access and artificial intelligence reshape the publishing industry. 

‘One of the nice things about being in a group of like-minded research minds is having the opportunity to chat about these challenges together. 

‘Specifically, what impact they might have on the field and how we as a journal and as individuals should be positioning ourselves as leaders to shape the future.’