In a world where women are struggling to gain the respect and recognition they deserve in both social and professional spheres, there is one profession in which the role of women is and always has been fundamental: physiotherapy. The role of the female physiotherapist has transcended the clinic and has even invaded the field of higher education in this health science discipline. In fact, it is estimated that around 75% of physiotherapists worldwide are women. However, according to Alicia Quintanilla Coello, member of the General Council of Physiotherapists' Associations in Spain, in an interview with EcoDiario (March 7, 2012), this figure "contrasts with the low presence of women at the head of professional associations or as researchers and science editors".
According to José Ángel González (2018), director of the magazine Fisioterapia al Día, women's contribution to the world of healthcare, in general, has been decisive; despite this, the female figure has not received the recognition it deserves, particularly in the pre-contemporary stages. In this regard, Gonzalez (2018, p. 60) mentions:
"The transition period between the 19th and 20th centuries becomes the prelude to the professionalization of physiotherapy for most countries in the world, where historiographic literature emphasizes that the practice of physiotherapy is equally divided between doctors and nurses, a strong argument for ensuring that the first physiotherapists were nurses."
The story goes that some of the women who revolutionized physiotherapy treatment at the time were Rosalind Page and Elizabeth Kenny. The former led the Society of Trained Masseuses (a precursor to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) for two decades, while Kenny devoted her life to fighting the consequences of polio in children.
Kenny's therapeutic approach became popular with the Elizabeth Kenny Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1943, a renowned muscle rehabilitation center.
According to González's publication, in the mid-twentieth century, when the widespread institutionalization of physiotherapy took place, "methodologies and their main promoters began to proliferate, with a large female representation". Among the contributions that stand out at this time are those of Françoise Mezieres, creator of the muscle chain concept, and Florence Kendall, known for her muscle testing manual.
Today, women continue to bring their knowledge and uniqueness to the development of new physiotherapy methods, and have proven that their role is extremely important in all areas of this profession, including sports physiotherapy.
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