Even with the day coming to an end, now still feels like a good time to reflect on what International Women’s Day means and how the physiotherapy profession has elevated women and their communities.
International Women’s Day celebrates the wide range of achievements and milestones of women across the globe. More importantly, the movement brings attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. Although women’s rights advocates have made significant progress over the past few decades, unfortunately in some places and professions, women continue to face significant disadvantages.
The physiotherapy profession has a somewhat unique history given that women played a key role in the establishment and early development of the profession. Here in British Columbia, a group of women formed the Vancouver Division of the British Columbia Branch of the “Canadian Association of Massage and Remedial Gymnasts” back in 1927. This association was renamed the Canadian Physiotherapy Association in 1934 and continues to exist under that name today.
Women played a significant role in the physiotherapy profession as demand for these services increased during World War II and they have continued to play a significant part in the ever growing and evolving profession – approximately 75% of physiotherapists in Canada today are women!
When you think women’s health – you should think physiotherapy!
Physiotherapy might not be the first profession you think of when women’s health issues come to mind, but maybe it should be!
More and more people are aware of women’s specific physiotherapy such as treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction and postpartum care which is excellent! But we also can’t forget that women are also more likely to be affected by a number of musculoskeletal problems including chronic pain, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis (OA):
- 70% of chronic pain sufferers are women
- Women may be 350% more likely to develop hand OA and 40% more likely to develop knee OA compared to men of the same age
- Osteoporosis affects 1 in 5 women over the age of 50 but only 1 in 20 men
At Coast Physiotherapy we are passionate about helping women of all ages improve their health and wellbeing. And we hope that it helps that we are 100% female owned and operated!
Happy International Women’s Day to all the women out there who are trying to improve their lives or the lives of their friends, family, and community!