Physiotherapy or Physical Therapy?
According to Wikipedia, the earliest origin of modern physiotherapy dates back to 1813, when Per Henrik Ling, “Father of Swedish Gymnastics,” founded the Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics (RCIG). In 1894, four nurses in Great Britain formed the predecessor of the current Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).
Circa 1921, following an outbreak of Polio at the end of World War I, the term physical therapy emerged in the United States, where physical education and remedial exercises were used to restore function in returned soldiers and affected children.
In 1944, the CSP adopted the current term physiotherapy for the practice and profession, and most of the British Commonwealth countries followed suit. Subsequently and seemingly without further discourse, physiotherapy and physical therapy have been used interchangeably among English speaking countries.
As one can glean from its etymology, physiotherapy is derived from two Greek roots: phusis ‘nature’ and therapeia ‘healing’. It denotes healing by natural means, not just physical means. Arguably the British founders who coined of the term physiotherapy, would have been aware of “physical” therapy in the American context, just they had aimed for greater ideals.
The purpose of rehabilitation is not merely re-enablement, but even more so empowerment. We honour these values by:
– facilitating intrinsic and natural healing potential in each person;
– optimising function from each cell to the whole person and the entire community, and,
– inspiring proactive wellbeing, self-efficacy, independence, and self-actualisation.
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