Applying psychology to enhance physiotherapy outcome

Abstract

Physiotherapy is one of the main health professions involved in rehabilitation, helping patients to take an active part in their return to function. The role of the physiotherapist is made more challenging when patients' expectations, and those of their medical carers, are distinctly lower than those of the physiotherapist; it is also harder when patients construe all their symptoms and difficulties as manifestations of significant pathology. Applying psychological modelsz and principles is much more than 'common sense' and can bridge these gaps, making sense of patients' predicaments, and providing possibilities for change and improved function (Harding and Williams, in press). Since we work in the chronic pain field, we will use it in examples, but the principles have application to all spheres of physiotherapy rehabilitation. © 1995 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.