Topic > Physiotherapists must promote health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing is a top priority in current health and social care provision. Physiotherapists have a responsibility to promote health through physiotherapy practice. Health promotion to enable people with chronic conditions or disabilities to maximize their potential for a healthy life. Practice can be reflected in medical, behavioral change and educational approaches. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not simply the absence of disease or infirmity.” (World Health Organization, 1946) While well-being means the absence of disease and illness, the ability to keep the mind and soul in a state of balance. There are a vast majority of areas that need to be taken into account to classify health and well-being. Different non-modifiable factors that influence health can be genetics, sex, race, age. Other factors such as personality, attitudes and thoughts that can influence lifestyle. The relationship within a social group, referring to their attitudes, orientations or behaviors that take into account the interests, intentions or needs of other people. Because overall health can have a huge influence on relationships between friends and family. Awareness of emotional changes, the ability to keep them under control, solve problems and deal with stress. It also depends on the natural environment. Weather, particularly extremes of heat, cold, and ice, inhibits participation in outdoor activities such as walking, bicycling, and playing in the park. In many developing countries, one of the major factors affecting health is water quality. In contrast, in developed countries, people tend to be overfed, which leads to higher levels of obesity, thus lower overall well-being... middle of paper... and an active lifestyle is one way to combine l physical activity in the daily routine. We can do this in various ways, such as walking or cycling in the car, participating in the social community, and exercising for fun. “A US study found that physically active people have lower annual direct medical costs than inactive people and showed that increasing regular, moderate physical activity among inactive adults could reduce annual national direct medical costs by many billions of dollars” (Pratt M, 2000) Because physical therapists must serve as role models for promoting effective physical activity. Effective health promotion requires behavior change. Behavior is defined as “our actions or reactions, or what we do or do not do in relation to the environment (external or internal) and/or stimuli” (Barnett, Health behavior epidemiology 2, 2011).