Physical Therapy Logo

There are a couple things you should keep in mind when designing your physical therapy. By following these considerations, you should be able to develop a physical therapy or medical logo which stands out among your competition and speaks to your target audience.

Choose the color of your physical therapy logo wisely- Most medical logos, including physical therapy logos, seem to use the same typical color schemes associated with the medical industry. While, these color schemes seem appropriate for medical industry and your physical therapy logo design, they don't make sense because they are overused and may have a negative impact on emotion. Personally, when I see a medical logo use the typical blue and green hues, it does not give off a warm feeling. Instead, it reminds me of the inside of a medical facility such as a hospital. When designing your physical therapy logo, one way to stand out and make a statement, is to focus on warmer color tones such as oranges and reds. Nobody said you had to stick with the color of a hospital gown for your physical therapy logo design. By adding a warmer color scheme, you can give off a more positive message without even saying anything.

No more than two colors in your medical logo design- When designing your physical therapy logo, keep the the number of colors used to a minimum. The main reason for this is to keep costs low. The more colors you have in your physical therapy logo, the more it will cost to print forms of communication such as your physical therapy business card, letterhead, physical therapy brochure, etc. Imagine if you run out of your physical therapy business cards several times a year and have to pay an extra amount of money just to print you 3-4 color physical therapy logo. There are many successful and dynamic logo designs which only use 1 or 2 colors.

Design your physical therapy logo with unique symbols and type- It is an all too common practice to use typical and common symbols when designing medical logos as well as physical therapy logos. When designing your physical therapy logo, try and come up with a symbol which is unique to physical therapy - or a symbol which is universal which can be applied to physical therapy. For example, you could use a shield to symbolise "protection." By using a symbol typical or common with physical therapy, you are basically telling your target audience that you are a "typical" therapy office. Wouldn't you rather stand out among your competition and give your target market a fresh and new perspective? You do not need a symbol for your physical therapy or medical logo design. Instead, you can just focus on the design of the type. By designing a unique type face for your physical therapy logo, you can make even a bigger impact than you can by designing a symbol which is unique.

Make sure your logo is a successful black and white logo - You will be surprised how many graphic designers still mess this one up. It is very important that your physical therapy logo design work as well in black and white as it does in color. There will be many times you will need to use a black and white version of your PT logo. For example, when you fax a document or make a black and white copy on a copier machine. If your physical therapy logo is not designed correctly, it may be easy to read when it's in color but more difficult to read in black and white if not unreadable.

By following these four considerations of logo design, you can avoid some of the pitfalls of logo design and help create yourself an unique and dynamic physical therapy logo.

 

 

 

Physical Therapy Logos

 

It is highly recommended to hire a professional graphic designer for your physical therapy logo and other forms of communication such as physical therapy business card, stationary, physical therapy brochure, signage, etc. Even if your budget does not allow for a high paying logo designer, you can still find quite a few good logo designers at a fraction of the cost. If you do insist on designing your own physical therapy logo, here are a few tips to help you out.

Make sure any physical therapy logos that you create, are designed using a vector based program such as Adbobe Illustrator. Any physical therapy logos designed with this program can be resized to any size without losing quality. Physical therapy logos designed with a bitmap based program such as Adobe Photshop will lose quality if it is resized at the size it was created at.

When designing physical therapy logos, take your time and sketch ideas. Many people will sketch a few ideas for their physical therapy logo and think they have created the most unique concept since sliced bread. Spend some time with the concepts for your physical therapy logo. You will see that the more you sketch, the more creative and interesting your ideas will become. When concepting for physical therapy logos, chances are, the 100th sketch will be the one and not the first.

Keep physical therapy logos simple. It's too easy to get carried away with a logo and combining too many graphics, symbols, words and colors. If there is anything you should remember, keep your physical therapy logo simple. This will make your logo easier to read and stand out better.

While it is recommended that you hire a logo designer for any physical therapy logos, by following these couple of steps, you can help you design your own pt logo. 

Therapy websites

There are many considerations to make when designing therapy websites. These decisions can have an big impact on the look and usability of the final therapy website design. These following tips and suggestions should help you with your therapy website design.

One of the first considerations to make when designing your therapy website is the domain name. You want your domain name of your therapy website to be easy to remember. Therefore, the shorter the domain name, the better. If you have a long physical therapy business name, you should try and shorten it. If it is difficult to shorten, you can always come up with a domain name with the words "I Love Therapists" instead of "Johnson and Richards Physcical Therapy Clinic." Easier to remember and to the point.

Once you have the domain name for your physical therapist website, you can decide if you want a animated flash website or a static html website. A flash website may wow visitors but may also take longer to load. Keep in mind that a flash website is not search engine friendly and users may have trouble finding your therapy website in a search engine. An html website should load faster and is search engine friendly.

The domain name and the type of website should get you started. Other questions you way want to ask which should help you during the therapy website design process are: What content do I want on my website? How may pages do I want on my therapy website? Do I need any forms? Will these forms contain patient information? If so, do these forms need to be secured? Do I need an image gallery on my site or will my therapy site be mostly text?

Following are some of the best schools offering physical therapy programs:

University of Delaware
- Rated 4th in the nation for Graduate PT Programs by US News (2009).
- The UD Physical Therapy Curriculum is offered as a 2.5 year program.
- It was ranked 14th among 100 best values in public colleges in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.

US Army-Baylor University
- Baylor University is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
- The Army-Baylor Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

University of Iowa
- The University of Iowa Physical Therapy Graduate Program is ranked 3rd among public institutions (USNWR 2009).
- Satisfactory completion of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum qualifies the candidates to take a state-administered national licensing examination.

University of Miami
- The Department of Physical Therapy offers a three year, entry level clinical doctoral degree the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and an academic doctoral degree, ( PhD) in Physical Therapy.
- The Department of Physical Therapy is accredited by both the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS) Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
- It has been consistently ranked as one of the top 10 physical therapy programs in the United States.

University of Florida
- The Department of Physical Therapy has been ranked fourth in the nation for AAU Public Universities by U.S. News and World Report.
- The DPT is the degree endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Ranking of Best Physical Therapy Schools (Top 40 list):
1. University of Southern California
2. University of Pittsburgh
2. Washington University in St. Louis
4. University of Delaware
5. US Army-Baylor University
5. University of Iowa
7. Arcadia University
7. MGH Institute of Health Professions
7. Northwestern University
7. University of Miami
11. Emory University
11. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
13. Duke University
13. University of California–San Francisco/San Francisco State University
15. New York University
15. University of Florida
15. University of Illinois–Chicago
15. University of Maryland–Baltimore
19. Creighton University
19. Marquette University
19. Ohio State University
19. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
19. University of Utah
24. Boston University
24. Texas Woman’s University
24. Univ of Kansas Medical Center
24. Univ of Texas Medical Branch–Galveston
24. Virginia Commonwealth Univ
29. Northern Arizona Univ
29. Regis Univ
29. Univ of Alabama–Birmingham
29. Univ of Washington
33. Columbia Univ
33. Mayo School of Health Related Sciences
33. Univ of Colorado–Denver
33. Univ of Nebraska Medical Center
33. Univ of Wisconsin–Madison
38. Univ of Kentucky
38. Univ of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
38. Univ of Wisconsin–La Crosse

Source: U.S. News & World Report (2009)
 


Top universities offering online Physical Therapy programs:

Arcadia University
- The Physical Therapy program is rated 7th in the nation among more than 200 graduate PT programs (USNWR 2009).
- Arcadia offers both the entry-level and transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees. The transitional program is offered fully online.
- The D.P.T. program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
- The 2008 Open Doors report ranks Arcadia University 1st in the nation in the percentage of undergraduate students studying abroad.

The College of St. Scholastica
- It offers the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. The CSS tDPT program is a distance learning education program designed for the working clinician.
- Ranked in the Top Tier of regional universities in the Midwest (US News "America's Best Colleges" 2008).

Boston University
- It offers an Online Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. This program is available to all qualified physical therapy graduates of accredited programs who are licensed physical therapists in the US.
- Online students will learn the same material and receive the same degree as on-campus students.
- Boston University, including Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.

University of South Dakota
- USD offers state’s first online physical therapy doctoral degree.
- It is fully accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education and the North Central Agency for University Accreditation.

Northeastern University
- The Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is an online program. It is for applicants who hold a baccalaureate or master's degree in Physical Therapy.
- DPT Specializations include: Nutrition ,Leadership, Orthopaedics, Education, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Urban Health, Independent Track.
- This program is designed for the working professional, using online course offerings to provide flexibility and convenience.

The Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Trigger Point Therapy

HISTORY

DR. JANET TRAVELL

Dr. travell was born in 1901, and followed in her father's footsteps to become a doctor. she initially specialized in cardiology but soon became interested in pain relief, as had her father. she joined her father's practice, taught at cornell university medical college, and pioneered and researched new pain treatments, including trigger point injections. in her private practice, she began treating senator john f. kennedy, who at the time was using crutches due to crippling back pain, and almost unable to walk down three stairs. this was at a time when television was bringing images of politicians into the nation's living rooms, and it had become important for presidential candidates to appear physically fit. being on crutches probably would have cost president john f. kennedy the election. dr. travell became the first female white house physician, and after president kennedy died, she stayed on to treat president johnson. she resigned a year and a half later to return to her passion for teaching, lecturing, and writing about chronic myofascial pain. she continued to work into her 90's, and died at the age of 95 on august 1, 1997.

DR. DAVID G. SIMONS

Dr. simons started out his career as an aerospace physician, and met dr. travell when she lectured at the school of aerospace medicine at brooks air force base in texas in the 1960's. he quickly teamed up with dr. travell. dr. simons began researching the international literature for any references to the treatment of pain, and discovered there were a few others out there who were also discovering trigger points, but using different terminology. he studied and documented the physiology of trigger points in both the laboratory and the clinic, and tried to find scientific explanations for trigger points. together, doctors travell and simons produced a comprehensive two-volume text written for physicians on the causes and treatment of trigger points.

The Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Trigger Point Therapy

The myofascial pain syndrome, MPS is one of the most common overlooked diagnoses in chronic pain. Up to 85% of patients with chronic pain have an underlying MPS. The terms MPS, myofascial trigger point, taut band, local twitch response and their definitions were first published in the fifties by Dr. Janet Travell. In 1983, together with Dr. David Simons, Travell published  the groundbreaking Trigger Point Manuals which are now in their second edition and have been translated into 12 different languages. Today Travell and Simons can be considered as true medical pioneers.

The Foundations of Trigger Point Therapy

The goals of successful trigger point therapy are releasing local sarcomere contractions, increasing local blood flow as well as inhibiting local inflammatory processes. The more precisely trigger points are treated the better the results achieved. There is a worldwide consensus among specialists that the combination of manual trigger point therapy and dry needling are the most effective approaches in the treatment of trigger points.

Diagnosis

The hallmark of the MPS are myofascial trigger points. Imaging techniques to diagnose trigger points and taut bands exist. However they have little value in clinical practice. The characteristic features of trigger points can be manually identified by palpation. The accepted diagnostic criteria are:

• taut band
• local tenderness within the taut band
• referred pain
• local twitch response

Many studies have shown a high interrater reliability among trained clinicians for the diagnostic criteria of trigger points. The MPS can be local or widespread. It can affect one, two or more quadrants. This is one of the reasons why the MPS is often mistaken for fibromyalgia. Trigger Points have characteristic referred pain patterns.

Pathophysiology of Myofascial Trigger Points

Integrated Hypothesis

Expanded Integrated Hypothesis, hand drawn by David G. Simons

Muscle lesions (e.g. trauma, RSI) can cause ruptures of the sarcoplasmatic reticulum which leads to an uncontroled release of calcium ions from the sarcoplasmatic reticulum. This in turn causes persistent sarcomere contractions. Many contracted sarcomeres and muscle fibres cause the taut band. Taut bands are palpable and can be visualized by ultrasound and MRI. On the one hand prolonged contractions have an increased energy demand and on the other hand they compress vessels, which leads to a decreased energy supply. The result is an energy crisis. Due to the lack of ATP there is also a decreased reuptake of calcium ions into the sarcoplasmatic reticulum which perpetuates contractions. As a result there is a local release of bradykinin and CGRP which lower the threshold of nociceptive endings. Many studies confirm the energy crisis theory. The integrated hypothesis is an expansion of the energy crisis theory and is the most accepted model for the explanation of trigger points. It postulates that the energy crisis process takes place in the vicinity of motor endplates. This leads to an incresed release of acetylcholine and therefore perpetuates the vicious circle of prolonged contraction.

A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the
Problem Science has with GOD, the ALMIGHTY.  He asked one of his
New Christian Students to stand and................


Professor :   You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?

Student    :   Yes, sir.

Professor :    So, you Believe in GOD ?

Student    :   Absolutely, sir.

Professor :    Is GOD Good ?

Student    :    Sure.

Professor :    Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?

Student    :    Yes.

Professor :    My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to  GOD
to Heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.. But
GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent )

Professor :   You can't answer, can you ?  Let's start again, Young Fellow.

                  Is GOD Good?

Student    :   Yes.

Professor :   Is Satan good ?

Student    :   No.

Professor :   Where does Satan come from ?

Student    :   From . . . GOD . . .

Professor :   That's right.  Tell me son, is there evil in this World?

Student    :   Yes.

Professor :    Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make
                    everything. Correct?

Student    :   Yes.

Professor :   So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer)

Professor :   Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?

                   All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?

Student    :  Yes, sir.

Professor :   So, who Created them ?

(Student had no answer)

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and
Observe the World around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever seen
GOD?

Student    : No, sir.

Professor   : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?

Student    :  No , sir.

Professor :   Have you ever Felt your GOD , Tasted your GOD , Smelt
your GOD ? Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that
matter?

Student    :   No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Professor :   Yet you still Believe in HIM?

Student    :  Yes.

Professor :   According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol,
Science says your GOD doesn't exist.  What do you say to that, son?

Student    :  Nothing.  I only have my Faith.

Professor :  Yes, Faith.  And that is the Problem Science has.

Student    :   Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?

Professor :   Yes.

Student    :   And is there such a thing as Cold?

Professor :   Yes.

Student   :   No, sir. There isn't..



(The class became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student    :   Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat,
Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat.
But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458 Degrees
below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as Cold. cold is only a Word we use to
describe the Absence of Heat. We cannot Measure Cold.
Heat is Energy. Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the
Absence of it.

(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Hall )


Student    :  What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?

Professor :  Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?

Student    :  You're wrong again, sir.   Darkness is the Absence of
Something. Yu can have Low Light,   Normal Light, Bright Light,
Flashing Light . But if you have No Light constantly,
you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it?  In reality,
Darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness
Darker, wouldn't you?

Professor :   So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?

Student   :   Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.

Professor :   Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student    :   Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You
argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.
You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we
can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.  It uses
Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully
understood either one. To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be
ignorant of the fact that Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.
Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it. Now tell me
Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?

Professor :   If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary
Process, yes, of course, I do.

Student    :   Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?



(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where
the Argument was going )

Student    :   Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution
at work and Cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going
Endeavor, Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir?
Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class was in Uproar )


Student    :  Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the
Professor's Brain?

(The Class broke out into Laughter )

Student    :  Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's
Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . .. . No one appears to have
done so. So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable,
Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that You have No Brain, sir.  With
all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face
unfathomable)


Professor :   I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.

Student    :  That is it, sir . .. .  Exactly !

The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH.

That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.

( That student was Albert Einstein ! )This was a mail send by Dr Rajan Narayanan, 

Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon, My beloved professor..

Mensendieck & Cesar Associations

Norwegian Physiotherapist Association

Administrator

08.11.2007

 

Contact information
Norsk Fysioterapeutforbund
(Norwegian Physiotherapist Association)
P. O. B. 2704 St. Hanshaugen
0131 Oslo, NORWAY
Phone: +47 22 93 30 50
Fax: +47 22 56 58 25
nff@fysio.no
www.fysio.no
Please note: We regret to inform that The Norwegian Physiotherapist Association does not supply foreign students with sponsorships. Please do not make enquiries to us about this and/or related topics or about the Norwegian labour market. Letters of this sort will not be answered. We only offer service towards potential or excisting members (i.e. authorized physiotherapists).
Norwegian Physiotherapist Association (NPA) has more than 9500 members. It organises publicly certified physiotherapists and students. Both private practitioners and publicly employed physiotherapists are members. 77 % of the members are women. The main task of the NPA is working to improve member salaries and working conditions as well as stimulating professional development and quality. The association has 21 local branches. NPA is a member of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT).
NPA arranges on average 50 continuing education courses annually. The association publishes the journal Fysioterapeuten (The Physiotherapist) with 12 issues a year.
Specialists
600 NPA members have been granted the right to use one or more of the following titles:

• Specialist in General Physiotherapy MNPA
• Specialist in Paediatric Physiotherapy MNPA 
• Specialist in Prevention and Ergonomics MNPA 
• Specialist in Sports Physiotherapy MNPA 
• Specialist in Manual Therapy MNPA 
• Specialist in Oncologic Physiotherapy MNPA
• Specialist in Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Physiotherapy MNPA 
• Specialist in Geriatric Physiotherapy MNPA 
• Specialist in Cardio-Respiratory Physiotherapy MNPA 
• Specialist in Neurologic Physiotherapy MNPA
• Specialist in Orthopaedic Physiotherapy MNPA
• Specialist in Obstetric and Gynecologic Physiotherapy MNPA
• Specialist in Rheumatologic Physiotherapy MNPA 

NPA has 11 special interest groups. Members can join one or several of the fields.

• Paediatric and juvenile physiotherapy
• Ergonomics
• Gerontology/geriatric physiotherapy
• Manual therapy
• Mensendieck physiotherapy
• Neurology/orthopaedics/rheumatology
• Women's health
• Psychiatric and psychosomatic physiotherapy
• Sports physiotherapy 
• Cardio-respiratory physiotherapy 
• Oncologic physiotherapy 

Physiotherapy in Norway
In Norway physiotherapy is protected by law. Norwegian citizens are entitled to get treatment from a physiotherapist if they need it. Both title and functions are legally defined. The physiotherapist is legally responsible for his or her own professional actions.
Physiotherapy constitutes prevention and treatment of disease and physical suffering. The physiotherapist has extensive knowledge of the parts of the body we use when we move i.e. muscles, tendons, joints, the circulatory system, and respiration. The main tasks of a physiotherapist are health promotion and disease prevention, treatment, training, and rehabilitation.
Health promotion and disease prevention
The physiotherapist knows why disease and injury occur, and can give advice on how to prevent pain and relapse of disease. The physiotherapist's work in health clinics, in nurseries, at schools and in work places is mainly preventive. A sub speciality within physiotherapy is ergonomics, which involves organising work environment. Many companies have their own physiotherapist who gives advice on how to promote health and to improve the environment and safety in the work place.
Treatment
First the physiotherapist performs a thorough examination; the type of treatment given depends on the patient's resources and the connection between pain, joint mobilisation and muscle tension. Training, exercise, massage, hot and cold treatment, or electrotherapy are among the types of treatment that can be given. The treatment is given either individually or in groups.
Many Norwegian physiotherapists have postgraduate training. The most common fields are manual therapy and psychiatric and psychosomatic physiotherapy. Physiotherapists who have been trained in manual therapy have special competence on neck, back and pelvic disorders. Following a thorough evaluation, the main elements in the treatment approach are patient guidance, joint manipulation or mobilization, and exercise therapy. Psychiatric and psychosomatic physiotherapy aims at easing physical tension, improving respiration, or body awareness. This kind of treatment is not only aimed at treating local symptoms, but is a continuous treatment. Many physiotherapist offer group treatment in psychiatric and psychosomatic physiotherapy.
Habilitation
The training of children with congenital dysfunction to a best possible level of functionality is called habilitation. This is interdisciplinary work where the physiotherapist is part of a habilitation team. Such teams are found in every region of the country. Habilitation takes place in the counties, at the hospitals and in special institutions.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is aimed at helping persons with handicaps or chronic disease so they can manage on their own and function socially. The aim of this process is for the patient to regain or preserve a best possible level of functionality through learning and by using own resources. The term rehabilitation is used about the work with patients from 16-18 years of age to the end of life. The patients may have been subject to accidents or disease. One such disease may be stroke, which is an example of a disease that demands interdisciplinary co-operation. Physiotherapists work with rehabilitation in the patient's home, in nursing homes, and in special institutions.
Where do Norwegian physiotherapists work?
The work of physiotherapists involves all parts of health care and the working life in general. The local communities are legally obliged to provide physiotherapy to its citizens. Among the members of the Norwegian Physiotherapist Association (NPA), there are 2,300 private practitioners and around 2,800 who are public employees (employed by the counties, regions, and state). A third category work in private companies, i.e. ergonomics. This applies to 500 of NPA's members.
Private practice
There are two types of physiotherapists with private practice in Norway: Those with and those without an agreement with the local county or community. Those who have an agreement with the community receive an annual contribution. (This is a fixed rate, in 2001 it is NOK 182.520). The local social security office also reimburses them. These physiotherapists operate with prices that are set by the "Price agreement". The other category of private practitioner operates without an agreement with the local community. They do not receive any contributions and are not reimbursed by the local social security office. They compensate by charging their patients more.
Public activity
In excess of 1,000 NPA members work in hospitals. Among the most important tasks they perform are mobility training after surgery, breathing exercises, pain therapy, and relaxation. Many physiotherapists are employed in health institutions (such as psychiatric institutions), or at rehabilitation centres. The different counties employ 1,500 of NAP's members. They work in health centres, in nurseries, in schools, and in the patient's homes. Physiotherapists also work in the fields of education, research and administration.
Education
In order to become a physiotherapist in Norway you need to study for three years in an institution of higher education, and also have one year of mandatory practise. Around 300 physiotherapists are educated in Norway each year. Traditionally, many Norwegians have studied physiotherapy abroad. Most of the students have gone to Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and the US. This trend is going to change from 2001, because the government has decided to withdraw grants to students who wish to study physiotherapy abroad.
There are five centres for educating physiotherapists in Norway:
Oslo University College, Faculty of HealthSciences
Department of Physiotherapy
Phone: +47 22 45 24 00
Oslo College, School of Health
Department of Mensendieck
Phone: +47 22 45 24 30
Sør-Trøndelag College, School of Health Education and Social Work
Department of Physiotherapy
Phone: +47 73 55 91 50
Bergen College, School of Health and Functionality
Department of Physiotherapy
Phone: +47 55 58 75 00
Tromsø College
Department of Physiotherapy
Phone: +47 77 66 06 01

Physiotherapist
Conditions of authorisation
For physiotherapists there are two normal situations relating to applications for licencing or authorisation:

1. Authorisation: Authorisation is granted to applicants who have successfully completed their education/training as physiotherapist and who have completed the necessary "turnus" (practical service). The conditions for authorisation are stated in Health Personnel Act, section 48.
2. Licence: A licence represents permission to practise as physiotherapists, but under certain conditions. A licence can be restricted in terms of e.g. duration and location, and can only be granted following concrete evaluation as to whether the licencee is capable of practising her/his professionally responsibly. A licence provides the holder with additional opportunities. Typically, a licence applies to foreign physiotherapists who are not in possession of basic education/training equivalent to that of Norwegian physiotherapists. But licences may also be granted to physiotherapists who have previously had their licences (official recognition) revoked, but who are in process of being reinstated.

Applicants with EEA education/training and possible authorisation as physiotherapists Special regulations relating to authorisation apply to applicants with foreign authorisation as physiotherapists.
Norway has through a special Nordic Agreement (not currently available in English) agreed to acknowledge authorisation of physiotherapists by other Nordic countries. In such cases, no assessment is made as to whether the qualification is the equivalent of the corresponding Norwegian qualification.
For applicants with education/training from other EEA countries, applications will be processed in accordance with Council Directive 89/48/EEC, cf. 92/51/EEC (with subsequent amendments). This does not grant right of recognition, but the Directive contains rules governing the granting of authorisation. These rules have been incorporated in a separate EEA Regulation of 21 December 2000, see Ch. VII. The main rule is that the education/training not deviate to any marked degree from the requirements as to competence laid down by Norwegian regulations (Norw. "rammeplan").
Applicants with other foreign qualifications as physiotherapists
For applicants with foreign qualifications from outside the EEA, it is required that such qualification be judged as the professional equivalent of Norwegian certificate, cf. Health Personnel Act, section 48, subsection 3a. Such assessment is made by the applicant's documentation of her/his own qualification as described in curricula, work experience etc. representing the equivalent of curricula related to Norwegian education/training (Norw. "rammeplan"). Applicants will be expected to be acquainted with Norwegian health services. In certain cases external advisers will assist SAFH in making an assessment. Advisers do not make the final decision but provide professional advice which SAFH takes into account when assessing applicants' qualifications. Only when foreign qualifications have been evaluated will processing of an application for authorisation be finalised.

Updated 23.08.2001

LEGISLATION

The legal basis for the decisions of the Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel (SAFH) regarding authorisation or licences to health personnel is the The Health Personnel Act of 1999. This and other relevant acts may be found under Acts.
Regulations relating to details of authorisation, licensing and approval of specialists, issued pursuant to the Health Personnel Act, as well as some relevant regulations concerning requirements relating to education and immigration, are found under Regulations.
Applicants, whose education or training has been obtained in an EEA country other than Norway (European Union, Iceland, and Lichtenstein), are covered by the EEA rules concerning mutual recognition of training and authorisation, see under EEA / EU.
Applicants, whose education or training has been obtained in Switzerland, or who are citizens of Switzerland, are covered by the relevant rules in the agreement between Switzerland and the EU.
Decisions relating to approval of specialist training have been delegated to the professional organisations; see under Links/Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training.
Most categories of health personnel with authorisation from Denmark, Finland, Iceland or Sweden are covered by the Agreement on a Common Nordic Labour Market for certain categories of health personnel and veterinarians. This agreement gives privileges which are more extensive than those following from the EEA Treaty. This agreement has not been translated into English.
All translations into English are unofficial. Only the Norwegian version of acts or regulations will be valid in a legal conflict.
Please note that although the regulations generally name the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs as the competent authority, in most cases this authority has been delegated to SAFH. As a general rule applications and queries from individual health personnel and relating to authorisation or licence should be submitted to SAFH. .


Last updated 30.12.2004

Swiss Ball : a story

Hello  Everyone,
I am a versatile device,  I was born in 1960's not from the human womb but from a human mind of a Italian Plastic Company.

I have different names, but I am famous only after a name coined by a Physiotherapist from United States in 1980's.

Some says I am being used extensively in Switzerland, So they call me in that name.

"I am"  being widely used around the world now a days, from light aerobic classes to professional athletic training institutions, as more and more people learn the benefits of using "ME".

Many movement scientists (Physiotherapists) says various benefits can be expected from using "ME" like

•   Enhanced Balance
•   Improved Posture & support around joints
•   Greater Muscle strength, power & endurance
•   Greater Flexibility and Range of Movement in Joints
•   Improved metabolism, Body weight control
•   Prevention of muscle and Joint Atrophy (Loss of Muscle Mass)                                      caused by ageing
•   Reduced Risk of Injury 

How one can Choose "MY" Correct Size

    Height                  Ball size required
                 
    Up to 5'6"            55 cm (22 inches) 
    5'7"- 6'."               65 cm (26 inches) 
    6'1"- 6'9"              75 cm (30 inches)  

Found any Clue ??

Yes,

"I am"

"The Swiss Ball"