What do they do?
Physiotherapists work to maintain and promote people's health. They help restore function and independence when people have a disability or problem caused by physical, neurological (related to the brain and nervous system), cardio-respiratory or other disorders.
They work in a variety of settings, including private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, community centres and gyms. They work closely with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers which will include occupational therapists, nurses, doctors, social workers and health care assistants.
A physiotherapist may be involved in:
- Assessing and diagnosing patients' injuries or functional problems
- Identifying problems and deciding what treatment to provide
- Using a range of treatments to reduce pain and improve movement
- Planning exercises for patients to improve their strength and fitness
- Educating people on how to prevent further injury
- Helping rehabilitate people who have suffered from strokes and accidents
- Educating caregivers and family about the patient's physiotherapy programme
What will I get out of this job?
Physiotherapy is a great career for people who value diversity. As a physiotherapist, you will be involved in assessing and treating a range of conditions, even if you decide to specialise in one area. There are a number of different specialities to choose from, including:
- Musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy
- Neuro-rehabilitation (related to the brain and nervous system)
- Cardio-respiratory physiotherapy
- Paediatric physiotherapy
- Hand therapy
- Women's health
- Acupuncture
You will make a real difference in the lives of your patients as you help them to get more mobile or recover from an injury. However, job opportunities for physiotherapists have fallen since November 2009 because of:
- Changes to ACC funding, which mean patients are having to pay a part-change for treatment instead of the government paying all their costs
- The recession, which has made people more cautious about spending on health care
- Tighter health budgets have limited hospitals' ability to employ physiotherapists.
Physiotherapists with a number of years’ experience will have the best chances of finding work. Graduates may take longer to find a full-time job.
Check out Eti's or Glenn's or Joshua's profile to see what it's really like on the job, or check out how Simon stepped from being a Physio to a career as a Health Programme Manager.