Physiotherapy is one of the healthcare professions. A Physiotherapist aims to promote, restore and maintain an individual’s physical, psychological and social wellbeing. The key is patient focus, tailoring treatments to the needs of the individual. Not only do Physiotherapists treat physically, they are also involved with health promotion and illness prevention. As a science-based profession, practitioners aim to evaluate their practice continually and add to the current body of knowledge in order to provide the best possible care for patients.

Physiotherapists treat an incredibly diverse range of patients. Within a hospital setting they may work in burns and plastics, healthcare of the elderly, maternity, mental health, neurology, orthopaedics, outpatients, paediatrics, palliative care, primary care or respiratory, to name just the most common areas. Physiotherapists may choose to work in the private sector or in alternative settings such as the armed forces, charities, health education, industry, management or sport. This wide variety makes physiotherapy an exciting profession in which there are always new challenges and possibilities for career development.

Two themes run throughout both courses; one covers the basic principles of research culminating in a research project, and the other includes aspects relating to personal and professional development such as skills for effective management of learning, communication, models of healthcare or sport, health and wellbeing policy, medical and client records/ethics, personality, behaviour and lifelong learning.

The courses end with an additional 6 months placement for which you can apply to work in any speciality anywhere in the world, providing you are supervised by an appropriate practitioner whose qualifications are recognised by the relevant statutory body, or competent authority.

Physiotherapy as a career

Modern world with sedentary, mechanical life has realized that the ability to move is invaluable. Mobility is life, life is mobility, so there by physiotherapy has become as essential part of all health care services offered by faculty of modern medicine.

The physiotherapist is trained to work in many settings as a member of the health care team. This may be in patient/client homes, community centres, and hospitals; which includes outpatient clinics, wards and intensive care units. The Physiotherapy profession has primary contact status, which means that medical referral of clients is no longer required by law. This makes it possible to work and develop services in rural and urban settings, industry and as private practitioners.

There are career opportunities within areas of special interest, for example special schools, geriatric centres, industry and sports centres. Further expertise can be developed through continuing education, teaching within the profession and research. Now there are over 3.5 lakh registered physiotherapist globally. In India, the number is 67000 & growing.

The Physiotherapy Profession

Physiotherapy profession started as bud with certificate course burgeoned into huge tree now offering  bachelors, masters, doctorals and post doctoral fellowship programs in various specializations like orthopaedics, neurology, sports, geriatrics and cardio vascular conditions, paediatrics, community based rehabilitation etc.

Physiotherapy is a health care profession, which involves patient evaluation through the administration of physical and/or extent of injury prior to the use of physical modalities for preventive and therapeutic purposes.

Physiotherapists perform tests to assess patients; joint motion (goniometry), strength and endurance of muscles (dynamometry), joint stability (arthrokinematics), walking (gait) pattern, functional ability (physical work capacity); function of the heart and lungs (cardiorespiratory fitness), integrity of sensation and perception (sensorimotor status), need and use of braces (orthosis and prosthesis), and performance of activities required in daily living.

The treatment commonly administered by Physiotherapists include the use of therapeutic exercise (to increase strength, endurance, co-ordination and range of joint motion), heat (infra-red radiation, short-wave and microwave diathermies), ultra-violet radiation, ice (cryotherapy), electricity (transcutaneous electrical stimulation), sound (ultrasound), water (hydrotherapy), direct current to introduce medicinal ions into the skin and mucous membranes (iontophoresis), manual therapy, electro-acupuncture and cold laser.

Physiotherapists also provide educational services to prevent the incidence of physical disability and movement dysfunction. During treatment, the Physiotherapist monitors the patient’s performance and modifies the treatment plan in the light of patient’s responses and goals.

Apart from these services, Physiotherapists engage in research to develop more effective treatment or methods of evaluation in order to improve patient care. Cognitive scientific knowledge is the flesh of physiotherapy; while psychomotor skills and affective traits constitutes the soul of physiotherapy profession. Researchers from several parts of the world including India are contributing immensely to our body of knowledge.