What Is Physiotherapy (Physical Therapy)?

Physiotherapy (also known as Physical Therapy) is the art and science of restoring function, movement, and wellness to a person in their environment.  Physiotherapists (or physical therapists) are health care professionals with graduate degrees in physiotherapy, who provide assessment and treatment to address these dysfunctions.  They may commonly have high levels of expertise in specific areas of rehabilitation including musculoskeletal, neurological, pelvic health, post-partum, pediatric and/or geriatric health.

Individuals usually seek help from a physical therapist when they have pain, weakness, impaired movement, are recovering from an injury or surgery. They may have had an acute or chronic medical illness (e.g. heart attack, stroke) that necessitates recovery of strength, movement, and a reintegration back to activities of daily living.