Just like other areas of
healthcare, physiotherapy has
evolved over the years and
continues to evolve –
overcoming professional
challenges, announcing new
breakthroughs even as new
obstacles gradually emerge
thus making stakeholders to
become interested about its
present and curious about its
future. In this exclusive guest
post, Physiotherapist
Adandom Israel attempts to
predict the future of
physiotherapy in Nigeria…
Predicting the
future of
physiotherapy in
Nigeria does not
only look at what
is tenable in the
occident and
orients but what
the demands of
a health care
profession so
virgin is
expected to
yield when
viewed in
circumduction
through a sage’s
eye.
It is obvious that for physiotherapy, the future
can only be successfully boundless with the rising
demands of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
on the health of humanity. The post millennium
development goals have placed a huge emphasis
on non NCDs and the medical journal of Australia
have in a publication in 2009 titled “Back pain: a
National Health Priority Area in Australia?’’
pointed out the need for increased attention to
the rising trend of NCDs. With the ever advancing
field of preventive medicine, physiotherapy has
not slept in proffering advances in preventive
medicine ranging from pediatric to geriatric group
of patients.
Academically, the future has the incipience of
systems geared towards producing highly
research sound professionals. The system is
meant to be proficient to offer programs that are
offered in the developed countries and in
advanced standards compared to where we are
now. More institutions are expected to start
offering a degree in physiotherapy, the curriculum
is expected to tweak from BMR (PT) or BPT to
DPT with emphasis of training geared towards
producing professionals who can carry out
investigations and proffer evidence based
treatments in the presence of impairment,
disability and handicap, rehabilitation science is an
ever advancing branch of medicine and
physiotherapy having a huge role to play in
rehabilitation should be able to boast of sizable
number of quality active researchers. This can
only be tenable with more institutions beginning to
offer such programs relevant in rehabilitation
science like biomechanics, kinesiology,
neuroscience, biomedical engineering, exercise
physiology etc.
Nigeria is expected to have metamorphosed into
an era where institutions offer PhD programs in
specialized areas of physiotherapy. A professor
of neurological physiotherapy supervising
passionate researches in neurological
physiotherapy is better than a professor of
physiotherapy placed to supervise such
candidates.
Physiotherapy (abbreviated PT) started as a
clinical profession first with the demands for
rehabilitation of war veterans, then it was just
therapy and no diagnosis. Today we know about
“physiodiagnosis” leading to a call I once made in
my articles for a change to a befitting name. A
good diagnosis cannot be over emphasized in
making a good clinical judgment. It is true that
even the best treatment protocol is flawed by a
wrong diagnosis. Since physiotherapy is leaving
and with time in the future will entirely leave
playing majorly the therapy role, the breed of
clinicians for the future are such that could
competently conduct investigations, order for
examinations and make a good diagnosis based
on his/her findings.
The future throws light to a structured clinically
oriented and passionate professional whose
training keeps him, independent and inter and
intra functionally sound. A structured clinical
program should involve starting a residency
immediately after NYSC, going through the
envisaged National Postgraduate Physiotherapy
College of Nigeria (NPPCN). Clinicians becoming
consultants in one or more of the seven
specialties outlined in the college blue print.
Special clinical programs for clinicians with
passion for more specialization oriented clinicians
like the doctor of science (DSc) would have been
made available here in Nigeria.
Dr. Shirley Sahrmann has pointed out an annual
physical examination conducted by the
physiotherapist. She puts in her very own words;
‘’we go to the dentist twice a year and spend
thousands to straighten our teeth, and all we do
with them is to eat and talk. Meanwhile the rest
of our body’s is just hanging out there’’. People
think PT as something generic their doctor orders
after injury, she says, but by analyzing the way
you walk, bend, sit and carry yourself, physical
therapists can prevent injuries and head off
future surgeries and chronic pain.
I have asked a friend if a physical therapist is a
physical therapists because they use physical
means for diagnosis and treatment, who uses
spiritual means in the science of health care. A
physical therapist is defined by his aim of
intervention as the science of physical therapy
has so broaden, leaving behind the old obsolete
philosophy. The future speaks of a
physiotherapists as a health care professional
whose interest in his patient/client is that he stays
healthy to be mobile in disease, health and
through senescence. The way he does or
achieves his aims defines 20-30% of his job
description and contributes majorly to differentiate
him specifically from fellow professionals like the
osteopath, the chiropractor, the orthopedic
surgeon et al. If a physiotherapist deems it fit to
administer drugs, like is obtained in the United
Kingdom and Australia, in a view to not just
relieve pain, but to get his patient moving, he
does not seize from being a physiotherapist
because his focus was primarily not to relieve
pain but to get his patient/client moving.
Some studies have reported no difference in
physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons
heading orthopedic outpatient clinical settings. This
puts physiotherapists on the road to first contact
in Nigeria where a patient reports to the general
outpatient department and is assessed and
screened by a consultant orthopedic physical
therapist as is tenable in the United States of
America.
In predicting the future of physiotherapy, it can
only be said that, the future has a boundless
bountiful proposal of burden of health care and
job satisfaction for physiotherapists.

Following!! !!!!! !!!

Cc; lalasticlala

Mishydoo:
We talk too much and do little. Talk of Potential only,cos d future is what we make of the opportunities we have...And from the look of things we were doing better than we are now.

It baffles hw we failed to plan n jus kept talking without actions.. other healthcare professionals are evolving ans making demselves indispensable... i jus hope we get it right. Indeed we were doin beta dan we are nw.

Physiotherapy involves the use of PHYSICAL resources to treat and rehabilitate patients. Physical resources such as heat, cold, laser, light (electro-magnetic waves), electric currrent, ultra-sound, water, wax, force, manipulation, touch, exercise etc.

Physiotherapy is Physical Medicine.

It is a massive Profession in health care...that is very interesting and lucrative.
As a Physiotherapist you can specialise in Pediatrics, Sports, Orthopedics, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Geriartry etc.

Physiotherapists DIAGNOSE patients o! They are not subordinates to other professions O! They are independent, kinda like dentistry and Optometry.
You can get a degree such as Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT)...from Nigeria. Google how! (You need plenty of hardwork..tho)
My younger brother is a Doctor of Physiotherapy..and am so proud of him! Patients love how he helps them recover quickly.
Hope this helped? Cheers.