Physiotherapists are allied health professionals who can treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries through techniques like exercise, massage, and manipulation. They commonly treat conditions related to the back, neck, shoulders, knees, and other joints caused by overuse, trauma, or age-related wear and tear. Physiotherapists also specialize in areas like sports physiotherapy, post-operative rehabilitation, chest physiotherapy, pediatrics, work-related injuries, and injuries from car accidents. Maintaining accreditation requires ongoing continuing education for physiotherapists.

1. The Scope of
Physiotherapy
Practice
Dilhan Jayamanne
Janath Kasthuriarachchi

2. Physiotherapy
- University Trained, Allied Health
- Can be referred via EPC (now known as Chronic Disease
Management Item)
- Use techniques such as acupuncture, exercise, massage,
mobilisation and manipulation
- Minimum 20 hours of CPD per a year to stay accredited
- Regulated by the Physiotherapists Board of Australia
- Membership group Australian Physiotherapy Association

3. Involves the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of general musculoskeletal
injuries that occur during our activities of daily living often due to overuse,
lifting, trauma, bad posture or ‘wear and tear’ of the joints.
• Low back and neck pain • Rotator cuff tear
• Knee pain • Plantar
fascitis/heel pain
• Shoulder impingement • Arthritis and joint pain
• Whiplash related disorders • Tennis elbow
General Musculoskeletal

4. Sports Physiotherapy
Sports Physiotherapy deals with injuries and issues related to sports people.
Sports injuries do differ to everyday injuries. Athletes normally require high
level performance and demand placed upon their body, which stresses their
muscles, joints and bones to the limit.
- Acute and Chronic injuries - Recurrent
injuries
- Preventative Physiotherapy
- Common Injuries include:
- Ankle Sprains
- Muscle Strains
- Patella Femoral Joint Pain

5. Post Operative Physiotherapy
Post-operative rehabilitation involves the care of patients with musculoskeletal
problems who have undergone surgery to fix their injury. It is a specialty that
focuses on improving the functional outcomes for individuals by combining
biomechanics and biology as well as incorporating protocols set out by
orthopaedic surgeons.
• Knee replacement • Hip
replacement
• Rotator cuff repair •
Shoulder stabilisation

6. Chest Physiotherapy
Chest physiotherapy is the term for a group of treatments designed to
improve respiratory efficiency, promote expansion of the lungs, strengthen
respiratory muscles, and eliminate secretions from the respiratory system.
Common conditions treatable for physiotherapy include
- Bronchiectasis
- Pneumonia
- Cystic fibrosis
- Emphysema

7. Paediatric Physiotherapy
Paediatric physiotherapy relates to physiotherapy treatments for children
aged between 0- 18 years. It involves working with parents and children of
varying ages from premature babies to adolescents to ensure optimal physical
function and development.
Common conditions in infants:
- Torticollis
- Gross motor delays (crawling, walking, etc)
In school aged children
- Toe walking - Knock Knees
- Osgood Schlatters - Flat Feet
- Severs -
Perthes Disease
- Post Surgical

8. WorkCover Physiotherapy
- WorkCover approved physiotherapists are trained to treat injured workers
in a compensation environment with a focus on achieving a safe and
durable recovery at work.
- Our duties include liasing with Doctors, Surgeons, Case Managers, and
other Allied Health Professionals, to achieve the best outcome possible for
the patient
- Also includes report writing and attending case conferences
- Common conditions include:
- Chronic and acute back
- Slips and falls at work
- Twisted ankles
- Injuries caused by repetitive work and/or poor posture

9. Compulsory Third Party Physiotherapy
- Role is to get the patient back to the pre- injury condition
- Our duties include attending case conferences and report writing
- Common conditions include
- Whiplash (car accident) - Upper and lower
back injuries
- Hand injuries - Shoulder
pain
- Neural issues