moving stories and images
When we think about the history of physiotherapy, the story we usually tell is largely an English-speaking one: the development of massage, exercise and physical rehabilitation in Britain, Scandinavia, Australia and North America, followed by the emergence of physiotherapy as …
In August 1976, Australian physiotherapy underwent one of the most significant transformations in its history. By an overwhelming vote, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) abolished a long-standing ethical rule that required patients to obtain a medical or dental referral before …
You may have heard the term “derangement” and immediately thought of Robin McKenzie’s Derangement Syndrome. But the story of the term goes back further. McKenzie was strongly influenced by the work of British orthopaedic surgeon Dr James Cyriax, and his …
In his new book, Fisioterapia 1903–2024: Lento reconocimiento como ciencia propia (y hay quien lo niega, todavía) (Physiotherapy 1903–2024: Slow Recognition as a Distinct Science [and There Are Still Those Who Deny It]), physiotherapist Lendoiro-Salvador traces the more than century-long …
Agnes Wenham, a physiotherapist who trained in Sweden and England, was a well-known character in the profession, especially in Johannesburg, where she practised for many years. She moved to South Africa from the United Kingdom as …
It is rare to find physiotherapists writing about their experiences (Nicholls, 2021), which makes Olive Millard’s (1952) autobiography Under My Thumb so important. A summary of Millard’s professional career is written by Goldstone (2024) and …
Before the restoration of Ukraine’s Independence in 1991, rehabilitation occurred within the Soviet paradigm, which set itself in opposition to Western ideology – not out of rational consideration, but out of the need to be …
On the 8th September 1951, delegates representing seventeen national physiotherapy associations met in Copenhagen, Denmark to establish the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT); now World Physiotherapy. Seventy-five years later it represents more than 600,000 …
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of World Physiotherapy (formerly the World Confederation for Physical Therapy – WCPT) on 8 September 2026, we’ve created a special 75-question challenge to put your knowledge of the profession to …
On the 1st of January 1973, Jean Blair was appointed Associate Professor by the Council of the University of the Witwatersrand. She was awarded the honour, in the words of the Vice-Chancellor, “..on the grounds …
The Executive Committee met on three occasions by Zoom teleconference in the first half of 2026. The current Executive Committee membership consists of Glenn Ruscoe, Chair (Australia) Sandra Schiller (Germany) Magda Fourie (South Africa) Cameron …
The Dutch History of Physiotherapy Foundation (SGF) has just released the first edition of their new SGF Magazine – available here. Physiotherapy has a rich history, and that history is constantly evolving. With this very …
Vibration has been, and is still, used widely across physiotherapy. The speed of the vibration offers differing therapeutic benefits that can be targeted toward specific health conditions. Slow rhythmical rocking, via horseback (hippotherapy) or being …
Today, the biography of Dr Johan Mezger was presented at the Amstel Hotel, Amsterdam, by author Prof Dr Peter Jan Margry. The therapeutic gymnast and physician Mezger not only made a significant contribution to therapeutic …
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