From Ling to the academic era – An analysis of the history of ideas in PT from a Nordic perspective

Abstract

There has been little interest in the historical development and the history of ideas of physiotherapy (PT). The overall aim in this study is to explore the origin and main ideas, concepts and patterns of thoughts in PT and their change over time from 1830–1979 in Finland and Sweden in order to increase the understanding of PT. The study uses a history of ideas approach and is based on Gadamer's hermeneutic ontology, which closely links thinking and conceptualization. The material consisted of textbooks used in PT education, articles from scientific and professional journals, chronicles, minutes and reports from government inquiry. A holistic and naturalistic perspective on PT were early arisen and constant distinctive, but through various forms. A pattern of thought over times is movement as a natural and curative health promoting agent in contrast to a medical remedy. The main ideas of physiotherapy can be understood according to three perspectives on movement: the health cure, the medical cure and the exercise cure. The main ideas form a basis for understanding movement as the core concept of physiotherapy. PT has a knowledge base of its own that has preserved over time, distinct from medicine and other health disciplines.