physiotherapy

American  

[fiz-ee-oh-ther-uh-pee] / ˌfɪz i oʊˈθɛr ə pi /

noun

physiotherapies plural

1. physical therapy.

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physiotherapy British  

/ ˌfɪzɪəʊˈθɛrəpɪ /

noun

1. Also called: physical therapy.   physio.   physiatrics.  the therapeutic use of physical agents or means, such as massage, exercises, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• physiotherapist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• physiotherapies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of physiotherapy

First recorded in 1900–05; physio- + therapy

Example Sentences

"There is an urgent need for nursing staff, physiotherapy professionals, and bus and truck drivers," she said.

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

All participants had failed to achieve adequate relief after at least three months of conservative treatment, including physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and intra-articular injections.

From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026

Brijesh, who was riding a scooter to the mess with two friends when the plane came down, still undergoes physiotherapy for burn injuries.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

"After repair we refer them to physiotherapy colleagues, who help them from the beginning - to do the exercises, teach them to avoid certain things like constipation and how to use their pelvic muscles."

From BBC • May 13, 2026

Every day, I had physiotherapy and had to do exercises, learning to get my arms and legs working properly again.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai