Physiotherapy around the world

Montreal being a cosmopolitan city, it welcomes people from all over the world every year. If we focus more on the Plateau Mont-Royal, where Physio Plateau is located, it is no surprise that France is largely in first place, followed by Portugal and the United States¹.

Some people wonder what is the difference between kinesitherapy and physiotherapy. It is to help newcomers and to demystify synonyms that we are creating this little glossary of physiotherapy around the world.

The title used in Quebec is physiotherapist and consists of a university education that includes a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. The practice is supervised by the professional order of physiotherapy (OPPQ), which ensures a high level of safety and competence within the practice. There is a second profession overseen by the OPPQ: the physiotherapy technologist. They intervene in the same cases as the physiotherapist, but they can only follow up patients who have been assessed by a physiotherapist or a doctor.

What comes closest to physiotherapy in France and the Maghreb would be the title of masseur-kinesitherapist with a state diploma. His role is similar, his field of practice too. One of the main differences is that the kinesitherapist is accessible only with a prescription from a doctor while in Quebec, the physiotherapist can be consulted by anyone without a visit to the doctor beforehand.

A brief overview of other French-speaking countries. The discipline is also called kinesitherapy in Belgium, but the studies are more like what is done in Quebec. It is a university or high school bachelor’s program followed by a master’s degree.

For Switzerland, the term physiotherapy is used as in Quebec.

In Quebec, two professions can easily be mistaken for the French kinesitherapist.

First, the title of kinesiologist, often abbreviated to kin or kiné, designates the health professional expert in physical activity. Among other things, it can help you develop athletic skills, achieve certain sporting goals or allow you to train while respecting a health problem.

To complicate matters further, kinesitherapy is also a term used in Quebec, but which designates an advanced approach to massage therapy. Its practice is not supervised by a single order or association.

The most common English name for the profession is physiotherapy. If you come from the United States, whether you have transited or worked there, you will be more familiar with the term physical therapy.

In Spanish, Portuguese and Italian we speak of fisioterapia.

In German, Physiotherapeut / Physiotherapeutin

We hope that this little overview has unraveled many of you and that no matter where you received your treatments in the past, you will find a physiotherapist to continue your care in Quebec !