Physiotherapy aims to help people in the community to lead a healthy lifestyle, to prevent illness or injury for those at risk, and to treat people who have been disabled or injured. Physiotherapy makes use of physiologically based movement techniques, massage, electrotherapy and other physical means to prevent and treat injury and disease. This is a four-year degree and you will help people of all ages who suffer from (for example) breathing and chest problems, cerebral palsy, strokes, fractured bones, stiff joints, sports injuries and painful necks and backs. 

As a physiotherapist you may open your own practice or work at community centres, hospitals and outpatient clinics. Many physiotherapists work in special schools for disabled children or provide rehabilitation programmes in people’s homes for them to become as independent as possible at home and in their communities. You may also choose to work and travel with sports teams to treat injuries and advise on the fitness of members of the teams and on proper training to prevent common injuries. Moreover, there are opportunities in non-clinical settings where you can work for corporations and innovate new technologies and/or do sales, training and research. When you obtain this degree, and after you have completed a year’s community service, you will be allowed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) to practise as a physiotherapist independently.