The Physiotherapist

Abstract

The word physiotherapy is of Greek origin and has two roots, ‘phusis’ which relates to the physical or natural and ‘therapeia’ which means ‘treatment’. Originally the word was used to explain ‘natural’ treatments in contradistinction to drug treatments. The term now subsumes a spectrum of treatments including such diverse methods as electrical stimulation and radiation, tissue mobilization and manipulation and resisted free and passive exercise. These have developed in the last 80 years from an initial scope of practice which was limited to massage and remedial gymnastics. After the granting of the Royal Charter in 1920 the professional body became known as the Chartered Society but the word physiotherapy was adopted as recently as 1945, thus replacing the more cumbersome and less inclusive ‘Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics’.