Industry Celebrates therapie LEIPZIG 2023: More Visitors, More Variety
A total of 16,300 physiotherapists, occupational therapists, sports and speech therapists as well as sports and rehabilitation physicians visited therapie LEIPZIG 2023 from 4 to 6 May. They were presented with a wide variety of innovations, trends, products and services for modern and sustainable patient treatment by 352 exhibiting companies and brands from 14 countries. Visitors from the industry were thrilled by the scope and quality of products and services on display and used the trade fair and congress as a platform for dialogue and accredited professional development. Feedback from organisers, exhibitors and participating associations was also thoroughly positive.
"You can hardly top what we’ve seen and heard in the past few days regarding inspiration, new products and programme highlights. This firmly underlines the importance of the event for the market," says Leipziger Messe Managing Director Martin Buhl-Wagner in summary. "The significant increase in attendance and the many positive comments from exhibitors and trade visitors demonstrate that therapie LEIPZIG is the undisputed industry leader."
Birgit Mücklich, Project Director of therapie LEIPZIG, adds, "The dynamics and the innovative power of the industry inspire me again and again. There was always something going on at the trade fair, whether you were in the demonstration area, at the special exhibitions or visiting the exhibition stands. Everywhere you looked, people were trying out therapy equipment, products and digital applications. I was also impressed by how the therapie LEIPZIG platform drives partnerships and initiatives, provides inspiration and galvanises discussion on hot topics – even beyond the trade fair gates. Our combination of trade fair and congress is the perfect format for that."
therapie LEIPZIG won over its professional visitors in 2023 as well and was awarded top marks. Survey results from an independent market research institute showed that 94 per cent of trade visitors said they would recommend therapie LEIPZIG to their colleagues. In addition, 86 per cent of respondents plan to visit the event again in 2025. The significance of therapie LEIPZIG outside the local area also increased relative to the previous year. Around two-thirds of the visitors travelled more than 100 kilometres – from all over German-speaking Europe and neighbouring countries.
Varied Programme Packed With Expertise
The therapie LEIPZIG conference hosted 180 scientific lectures, seminars and practical workshops for accredited further education and professional development. Participants had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with new therapeutic approaches and to deepen their understanding of already familiar topics. Interdisciplinary, highly relevant and forward-looking were the words on everyone’s lips.
Attendees were able to expand their knowledge even more at the trade fair. In addition to the product demonstrations by exhibitors, six specialist forums offered a further 240 presentations and attracted a great deal of interest. Every half hour, exhibitors and speakers shared their extensive knowledge on a variety of topics such as functional electrical stimulation, the thyroid and hormonal system in osteopathic practice, medical training therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease and employee recruitment and franchising in physiotherapy.
Advancing digitalisation was a particularly prominent issue in the context of the congress and trade fair programme. It became clear to what extent the therapy industry is now focusing on digital solutions. A wide spectrum was presented ranging from digital solutions for training equipment and innovative practice management software to apps for follow-up therapy and diagnostics to telematics infrastructure. Numerous lectures, both at the congress and in the exhibition hall, examined various aspects of digital technologies in therapy. Lecture topics included digital biofeedback in rehabilitation, diagnosis via digitalisation, the advantages of telematics infrastructure and billing processes.
The theme of the demonstration area was "Don’t Just Watch – Join In!" Here, visitors had the opportunity to try out various exercises including board yoga, trampoline training, Pilates for the back, juggling and vibration massage. Each day, the programme included stretching, mobilising joints, releasing tension, loosening fascia, strengthening deep muscles and training balance and coordination.
Exhibitors Impressed by Visitor Quality
The exhibitors at therapie LEIPZIG 2023 were extremely satisfied. Well over 90 per cent said they also intend to have a stand at therapie LEIPZIG in 2025 and would recommend the event to others. They were impressed not only by the large number of visitors but especially by their professional qualifications.
According to Armin Zimmer, owner and managing director of the Zimmer Group, "therapie LEIPZIG is the most professional trade fair of all for physiotherapy. Here, everyone can show what their products can do and this is much appreciated by the visitors. We know what we are talking about because we take part in specialist events worldwide."
"Being at therapie LEIPZIG is like coming home. It’s an absolute customer magnet, but it’s more than just that. High-profile professionals travel as much as 300 km to get here and the industry has once again spared no expense and invested in attractive stands to present its highlights. Even the soft skills are well done and the Leipzig Exhibition Centre is one of the most beautiful event locations," observes Nils Höges, Head of Sales & Marketing for the Therapy Industry Business Division at opta data Finance GmbH.
Buchner & Partner GmbH likewise confirms the success of the trade fair: "therapie LEIPZIG succeeded in carrying on where it left off before COVID-19. Telematics, digitalisation and paperless clinics are very big issues for therapy practitioners. We could tell they were really hungry for information by the tremendous response to our lectures, which were always full. We’re already looking forward to May 2025 because Leipzig is and will remain a beloved place to do business. Besides sharing information here, you can also make some very good sales." says Mathias Hansen, Head of Sales.
Health and Professional Policy in Focus at therapie LEIPZIG
The therapie LEIPZIG congress opened on the first day of the fair with a health policy symposium. Entitled "Healthcare Opportunities and Risks in 2023", the symposium gave representatives of the German Society for Medical Rehabilitation (DEGEMED), the Federal Association of Outpatient Rehabilitation Centres (BamR), the German Federation of Therapeutic Product Associations (SHV) and the Federal Association of Geriatrics (Bundesverband Geriatrie) an opportunity to discuss political initiatives for healthcare and therapy in the remaining legislative period. The associations used therapie LEIPZIG as a platform for positioning their health policy demands. These include training reform, elimination of the rehabilitation budget and equalising the status of outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation services.
SHV also devoted itself to current professional policy issues at "SHV konkret", a dialogue platform held on the second day of the fair. The presidents of the SHV's member associations met with participants personally and as equals to answer questions about the increased academic nature of training, the shortage of skilled workers, autonomy and interdisciplinary cooperation.
The next therapie LEIPZIG will take place from 8 to 10 May 2025 at Leipzig Exhibition Centre.
Dates for upcoming regional events in the therapie series:
- therapie DÜSSELDORF, 15 and 16 September 2023
- therapie HAMBURG, 25 and 26 October 2024
- therapie MUNICH, December 03 and 04, 2024
