Physiotherapists, also known as physical therapists, have a detailed understanding of how the body works and are university educated and trained to assess and improve movement and function and to relieve pain. Physiotherapists promote good health by encouraging their patients to improve and increase their independence. There are more than 13,000 physiotherapists licensed to practice in Canada.

The contribution of physiotherapy to Canada's health care system is linked inextricably to the major changes that shaped the country. From treating returning war amputees of the World Wars through innovative therapies for the polio epidemics that swept communities in the 40s and 50s and the onslaught of new types of injuries associated with the widespread introduction of the automobile, physiotherapy has been there to meet the challenge.

All physiotherapists are educated in the basics of anatomy and physiology through their university programs and are able to provide diagnosis and therapeutic intervention for virtually any part of the body. Many physiotherapists also choose an area of specialization within which to practice upon graduation. These include: