Dr. Asghar Khan
Director/Associate Professor
Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences(RCRS)
Riphah International University Islamabad
History
 The earliest
documented
origins of
physiotherapy
(physical
therapy) as a
professional
group date back
to Per Henrik
Ling, “Father of
Swedish
Gymnastics,”
who founded the
Royal Central
Institute of
Gymnastics
(RCIG) in 1813 for
massage,
manipulation,
and exercise.

http://www.chiropractorswarwick
.co.uk/index.php/aboutchiropractors-warwick/a-historyof-neuromusculoskeletalhealthcare/a-history-ofphysiotherapy-physical-therapy/
Physical Therapy
or
Physiotherapy?
 A health care profession deals with movement
dysfunctions threatened by aging, injury, disease or
environmental factors by all physical means.
First Physical Therapy School
 Established in 1955 with the help of WHO by ministry
of health and social welfare in JPMC Karachi.
 Initiated by Governor General of Pakistan Ghulam
Muhammad
 First Principal madam zulikha Subhani.
 First program 2 years diploma and 4 years later
upgraded to 3 years diploma.
Physical Therapy Education-1955 to 1999
 Eligibility: Secondary school certificate (10 years of

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


schooling)
2 years diploma after secondary school- 1955
3 years diploma-1961
Eligibility: FSc(Pre-medical,12 years of schooling)
3 years degree(BSc-PT) affiliated with Karachi
university-1963
4 years degree(BS,PT) affiliated with Karachi
university-1999
Physical Therapy entry level degree in Pakistanstarted 2007.
 Program:
 Duration:
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
5 years
17 years of schooling, entry level professional Degree recognized by
Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC)
 Level:
 Eligibility:
Graduate
F.Sc (pre-Medical) minimum 50 %
unadjusted marks
 Course:
Semester Based (10-Semesters)
 Internship: One year
First Batch of DPT
 The First batch of
Doctor of Physical
Therapy(DPT) at
Riphah Started
spring 2008
 40 students
enrolled in the
program
 Graduating fall
2012.
Career scope
 Physical Therapists are highly in demand
nationally and internationally.
 Job opportunities in hospitals ,private clinics,
rehabilitation centers, academic institutions and
research centers.
 Highly in demand internationally especially in
UAE, UK and USA
Doctor of Physical Therapy(DPT)
Curriculum committee of HEC
 11 senior
members
(including HEC
officials )from all
over the country
 Public sector: 6
 Private sector: 5
Riphah Contribution
 100-Riphah graduates with PP-DPT (M.Phil Equivalency





awarded by HEC) serving the country educational
institutes and hospitals.
Awarded the Dr.title for Physical Therapy professionals
Introduced the innovative programs (DPT, PP-DPT, MSOMPT and MS-SLP)
Honored the physical therapy professionals for the first
time in the country with academic titles Asst.Professors
and Associate Professor up to Professor.
Recognized physical therapists as Rehab professionals with
respect and dignity
Enormous financial support for the Physical Therapists
national organization and workshops
Physical Therapist / Physiotherapist
 Member of a health




care team provide
services that help to:
Restore function
Improve mobility
Relieve pain, and
Prevent or limit
permanent physical
disabilities.
Physical Therapy Specialties
 Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
 Neuromuscular Physical Therapy
 Geriatric Physical Therapy
 Pediatric Physical Therapy
 Sports Physical Therapy
 Gender health care (women’s health)
 Fitness and Wellness
Continuing Professional Development
Courses(CPDs)
 Physical Therapy In Emergency Care
 Research Methodology &Article Writing
 Evidence based Manual Therapy Series
 Cardiac Rehabilitation
 Neuromuscular Physical Therapy
Continuing Professional
Development
Courses(CPDs)
Physical Therapists Efforts
for uplifting the
profession
Vision for Physical Therapists by American
Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
 Physical therapy, by 2020, will be provided by physical
therapists who are doctors of physical therapy and who
may be board-certified specialists. Consumers will
have direct access to physical therapists in all
environments for patient/client management,
prevention, and wellness services. Physical therapists
will be practitioners of choice in patients'/clients'
health networks and will hold all privileges of
autonomous practice. Physical therapists may be
assisted by physical therapist assistants who are
educated and licensed to provide physical therapist
directed and supervised components of interventions.
Physical Therapists with the special kids
Physical Therapists and PWDs
 Main focus in physical disabilities: posture correction,
improve moblity,deformity and contracture prevention
or corection,balance and coordination
improvement,increse muscle strength, endurance and
pain relief.
 These are all physical issues and only physical
intervention can help and physical therapists have the
unique knowledge and skills to provide physical
intervention for all those problems.
 So to empower PWDs ,we also have to empower
Physical Therapists in terms of professional autonomy
and job service structure .
Recommendations:
 Pakistan physical therapy Council
 Unified service structure in the country
 Measures for quality education
 Job Opportunities in hospitals and other institutes of
rehabilitations on the district and subdivision level in
the country so all citizens could have access to the
physical therapy care
Thanks