The urgency of “critical physiotherapy” in Portugal: concept and perspectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37914/riis.v9i1.512Keywords:
physical therapy specialty, thinking, teaching, evidence-based practiceAbstract
Background: the concept of “critical physiotherapy” has become established globally as an essential movement that challenges the historical assumptions and biomedical paradigms of the profession. Objective: this theoretical essay aims to substantiate the use of the term "fisioterapia crítica" and explore its origins, its fundamental principles (based on social theory and philosophy), and analyse its impact on practice, education and research, emphasising the urgency of its adoption in Portugal. Methodology: this study consists of a reflective theoretical essay of a narrative nature, based on the seminal literature of the Critical Physiotherapy Network's advanced thinking movement to substantiate the arguments and perspectives presented. Results: analysis of the literature and the Portuguese context reveals that the national community is on the margins of this intellectual revolution, which constitutes a critical gap. The adoption of this perspective is identified as imperative to transcend the merely technical application of procedures. Conclusion: this essay proposes and supports the use of the term "fisioterapia crítica" in Portuguese, rather than alternatives such as "pensamento crítico em fisioterapia", with the aim of standardising terminology, promoting national debate and contributing to the legitimisation of physiotherapy as an autonomous health science.
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