Introduction
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession which provides services to individuals and population to maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout their lifespan. This includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease or environmental factors. Functional movement is central to be healthy.
Physiotherapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment or intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation. This encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, and social well being. Physiotherapy also involves the interaction between physiotherapists, patients, other health professionals, families, care givers and communities in a process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon, using knowledge and skills unique to physiotherapists.
Physiotherapy has many specialties including cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurological, orthopaedic and paediatrics to name some of the more common areas. Physiotherapists practice in many settings, such as outpatient clinics or offices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, extended care facilities, private homes, education and research centers, schools, hospices, industrial work places or other occupational environments, fitness centers and sports training facilities. The core skills of the physiotherapists include manual therapy, therapeutic exercises and the application of electrotherapeutic modalities such as heat, cold, electrical stimulation etc.
Like all other health professionals, physiotherapists required a formal education and training before they are allowed to practice. They work independently and able to exercise their judgment and make decision regarding their patients. They are regulated by a professional body and must adhere to an ethical code of practice.
With the increase in population as well as an increase in the life expectancy of the regular Malaysian coupled with the growth in the number of hospitals built, the demand for physiotherapists is expected to further increase.
Future Plans
Our future plans included the development of new courses to provide the physiotherapy practitioners with the knowledge and skills in specialisation.
We have developed the Advanced Musculoskeletal Post Graduate Certificate which is waiting to be approved at the MQA level. This programs aims to provide physiotherapists with more scientific knowledge and emphasis given for evidence based practice. This will help physiotherapists who wish to specialise in Musculoskeletal physitherapy.
We also plan to conduct many short courses in the years ahead to help our graduates to keep abreast with the new development in physiotherapy and to encourage research oriented physiotheraists.
We have also submitted our home grown degree program which covers some aspects of the expanded and extended role of physiotherapists.
