Southern DHB Celebrates World Physiotherapy Day

Media Release

8th September 2014

Southern DHB Celebrates World Physiotherapy Day

Today is World Physiotherapy Day with this year’s theme being “Movement for Life,” highlighting physiotherapist’s key role in promoting full participation by people with injury, chronic disease or disabilities to help them fulfill their potential.

The physiotherapists working for the Southern District Health Board promote function and activity through movement in a variety of settings. These include all inpatient areas, outpatient clinics and in the community/home visiting, working with people from all age groups (babies through to older people), providing education, prevention self-management and treatment.

World Physiotherapy Day is marked every year by thousands of physiotherapists around the world drawing attention to the profession's contribution in promoting global health.

Physiotherapists are highly trained registered health professionals who provide treatment for people suffering from physical problems arising from ageing, injury, disease, illness and environmental factors. Their aim is to improve a person's quality of life and movement potential.

Movement in its various forms is fundamental to physiotherapy practice whether it be in the more global forms of exercise and activity or in the specific action of an identified joint or muscle group.

Researched evidence supports movement and activity to promote health and wellbeing and reduce the impact of illness and injury. Recently the media have labelled ‘sitting as the new smoking’ so today is about physiotherapists taking the opportunity to encourage everybody to get up and move.

Some tips for all - consider walking/standing meetings, walking emails, taking the stairs, switch off your digital devices and move instead and maintain good posture (all day, every day).

The wonderful thing about World Physiotherapy Day is that it can highlight the importance of every aspect of what we do and how we do it.

Well done to the great physiotherapy team at Southern DHB!

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