Dr Luke Perraton is an educator and early career researcher in Monash University's Physiotherapy department, where he is currently the musculoskeletal curriculum stream leader. He is a musculoskeletal, sports and exercise physiotherapist as titled by the Australian Physiotherapy Association with a clinical and academic career spanning 20 years. Dr Perraton's research primarily focuses on investigating the mechanisms of neuromuscular control in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions.

Professional memberships

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Physiotherapist – full registration
• Australian Physiotherapy Association titled member – Sports and Exercise, Musculoskeletal
• Sports Medicine Australia Member

Dr Luke Perraton's research focuses on exploring the underlying mechanisms of neuromuscular control to gain insights into the causes of musculoskeletal problems and interventions. He has expertise in 3D motion analysis and dynamometry to measure neuromuscular control, and collaborates with experts in electromyography and brain stimulation to understand the biomechanical and neurological mechanisms of musculoskeletal disorders. Dr Perraton has a particular interest in knee injuries and tendinopathy. He is also the co-director and founder of the Monash Musculoskeletal Research Unit, a multidisciplinary group dedicated to developing and evaluating education, exercise, and other interventions for common musculoskeletal conditions. (monash.edu/medicine/spahc/physio/mmru).

• Musculoskeletal curriculum stream leader for Monash University Physiotherapy, 2019 onwards
• Unit coordinator for the 24-credit-point unit Physiotherapy 2 (PTY1022), 2017 onwards
• Chief examiner for the 24-credit-point unit Physiotherapy 1 (PTY1011), 2023 onwards
• Teaching musculoskeletal clinical skills, case-based learning and applied anatomy

Dr Luke Perraton is the founder and host of Physio Foundations (lukeperraton.podbean.com) a podcast about the knowledge and skills that provide the foundation of expert clinical practice. He is also the co-host of the Monash Musculoskeletal Research Unit podcast (mmru.podbean.com), which engages directly with students, graduates and researchers about research findings and pathways into a research career.

In 2022, Dr Perraton received the Individual Teaching Excellence Award for Innovation and Development ($2000) from the Monash University School of Primary and Allied Health Care in recognition of the impact of these podcasts within the university and wider community.

The Physio Foundations and Monash Musculoskeletal Research Unit podcasts were created specifically for students and early-career professionals. Their goal is to showcase the work of fellow educators and researchers and directly engage with current students, alumni and the wider profession. The content of the Physio Foundations podcast is closely aligned with Monash University Physiotherapy’s musculoskeletal curriculum and Clinical Communication Support Program. Several episodes have been recorded specifically for use in university teaching, making these podcasts valuable resources for anyone interested in improving their knowledge and skills in physiotherapy.

Other community engagement: 2022 onwards

• Invited keynote speaker at the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy’s sports performance special interest group: https://learn.sportspt.org/courses/41550/webinars/30836
• Invited workshop presenter for Learn.Physio practical sessions. The workshop addressed a critical need for our profession which is developing skill in measuring muscle strength with dynamometers.