World Physiotherapy Day - Information and Facts

September 8th is World Physiotherapy Day. Physiotherapists make crucial contributions to keeping people well, mobile and independent! These facts and information sheets about physical therapy and physical activity are from the World Confederation for Physical Therapy:

• Physical therapists (also known as physiotherapists) work with people of all ages to bring about improvements in their health and independence.
• Physical therapists provide exercise prescriptions to help people keep fit and achieve/maintain a healthy weight.
• Around 350 million people are obese worldwide. Physical activity is one of the best means of countering obesity.
• Children and young people under the age of 18 need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day to promote and maintain health.
• Adults need 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity 3 days a week to maintain health. Plus they need to do muscle strengthening exercises at least twice a week.
• Research has shown that physical therapy exercise prescriptions help women who experience incontinence, osteoporosis or breast cancer surgery.
• Studies have indicated that physical therapy treatments have a major impact on conditions such as back and neck pain.
• Physical activity provided under the guidance and supervision of a physical therapist reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer.
• Despite limited numbers of physical therapists in some countries around the world, they have proved their effectiveness at getting and keeping people healthy.
• Physical therapists provide exercise programmes for conditions that affect the bones and muscles, such as arthritis, back and neck pain, osteoporosis, joint replacements, and urinary incontinence.