The Role of Professional Physical Therapists in Smoking Cessation: A Literature Update

Abstract

Objective: To update the literature on the role of the physical therapist in smoking cessation interventions and the effects of smoking in different therapeutic approaches. For this update the Medline, Scielo, Lilacs and Cochrane electronic databases were searched using the following keywords: physical therapy specialty, physical therapists, tobacco use cessation, smoking, national program of tobacco control. The physical therapist presents particularities that enable them a broad role in smoking intervention due to frequent contact with the patient for prolonged periods, generally individually; physical therapy usually takes place several times a week for sessions of one hour or more and for long follow up periods (months or years), characteristics which are quite specific to these professionals. Conclusion: Physical therapists present particularities and characteristics that enable them to become facilitators in the smoking intervention process, and they can thus act both preventively and as interventionists in this process. It is important that these professionals become aware of their role in smoking cessation and act more clearly in this process, with the goal of optimizing treatment and preventing complications, seeking improvement in the health of their patients.