What is a physiotherapist?
Physiotherapy is a professional health care discipline (minimum four year university degree program) directed primarily towards the rehabilitation of movement dysfunction. A movement dysfunction is defined as an alteration in normal body biomechanics that limits effective or efficient body performance. The movement dysfunction may be due to pain, congenital anomalies, disease processes, accident or injury, enforced activity, problems secondary to ageing, or psychological/social stress. The dysfunction may be manifested in actual or potential impairment related to the neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, respiratory or cardiovascular systems.
A physiotherapist is qualified and allowed by his/her professional scope of practise to establish a physical diagnosis and determine a client's movement potential, plan and implement physiotherapy programs, using specialised knowledge and skills for the prevention or treatment of movement dysfunction; and participate in such other professional activities such as research, teaching, consultation and administration. The successful completion of the Fellowship Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy Examination (FCAMT) indicates that the physiotherapist has demonstrated clinical expertise in the area of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy and is competent to perform high velocity, low amplitude thrust techniques. This post-graduate education is over and beyond the minimum requirement for physiotherapy.
