

Our history
Founded in 1951 by 11 national physiotherapy associations as World Confederation for Physical Therapy, World Physiotherapy now represents more than 600,000 physiotherapists worldwide through its 127 member organisations.
Member organisations from Angola, Guatemala, North Macedonia, Oman, Portugal, and Sierra Leone admitted
Following an electronic vote, the following national
2023
Member organisation from Yemen admitted
Following an electronic vote, the following national
2022
Member organisations from Dominican Republic, Palestine, and Vietnam admitted
Following an electronic vote, the following national
2021

World Physiotherapy
WCPT rebrands as World
2020
Member organisations from France and Romania admitted
Following an electronic vote, the following national
2020
13 member organisations admitted
At the 19th general meeting in Geneva in May 2019, 13 national
- Bhutan Society of
Physiotherapy Physical Therapy Commission of the Therapist Guild of Costa Rica- Georgian Association of
Physical Therapy andRehabilitation - Haitian
Physiotherapy Society - Association Ivoirienne des Masseurs-Kinésithérapeutes
- Chamber of
Physiotherapists of Kosovo - Association des Kinésithérapeutes de Madagascar
- Association des Kinesitherapeutes du Mali
- National Fédération of Physiothérapeute in Morocco
- Myanmar
Physiotherapy Association - Papua New Guinea
Physiotherapy Association - Association Sénégalaise des Kinesithérapeutes - Rééducateurs
- Sudanese
Physiotherapy Association
2019
New constitution
A new
2019

First congress in Africa
Cape Town was the location for WCPT's first congress in Africa
2017
Singapore hosts 18th general meeting
At the 18th general meeting in Singapore, nine national
- Albanian Association of Physiotherapists
- Association Beninoise des Kinesitherapeutes - Reeducateurs
- Association of Physiotherapists in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Congo Physical Therapists Union
- Mongolian
Physical Therapy Association Physiotherapists' Association of Montenegro - Nigerien Physiotherapy Association
- Physiotherapy Association of Saint Lucia
- Togolese Physiotherapists' Association
2015
17th general meeting takes place in Amsterdam
Amsterdam was the location for the 17th general meeting, where the following national
2011
Membership reaches 100
At the 16th general meeting in Vancouver, Canada, these national
- Afghan
Physical Therapy Association - Bahamas Association of
Physiotherapists - Bahrain
Physical Therapy Association - Bangladesh
Physiotherapy Association Physiotherapists ' Association of Brazil- Cambodian
Physical Therapy Association - Guyana
Physiotherapy Association - Rwanda
Physical Therapy Organisation - Emirates
Physiotherapy Society
2007
Barcelona hosts 15th general meeting
The following national
2003
First general meeting in north Asia
The 14th general meeting took place in Yokohama, Japan. These national
- Cameroon Society of Physiotherapy
- Croatian Council of Physiotherapists
- Estonian Kinesitherapy Association
- Eswatini Physiotherapy Association
- Ethiopian Physiotherapists Association
- Ghana Physiotherapy Association
- Kuwaiti Physical Therapy Association
- Latvian Physiotherapists' Association
- Lithuanian Physiotherapy Association
- Physiotherapy Association of Malawi
- Malta Association of Physiotherapists
- Peruvian Association of Physiotherapy
- Physiotherapy Association of Trinidad and Tobago
1999
13th general meeting takes place in Washington
Washington DC, US, was the location for the 13th general meeting where the following national
- Bermuda Physiotherapy Association
- Bulgarian Association of Physiotherapists
- Union of Physiotherapists of the Czech Republic
- Fiji Physiotherapy Association
- Association of Hungarian Physiotherapists
- Italian Association of Physiotherapists
- Jordanian Physiotherapy Society
- Physiotherapists' Association of the Principality of Liechtenstein
- Namibian Society of Physiotherapy
- Slovenian Association of Physiotherapists
- Association of Physiotherapists in Tanzania
- Uganda Association of Physiotherapy
1995
General meeting returns to London
London, UK, was the location, for the second time, the general meeting. The 12th meeting admitted the following national
1991
Meeting inquorate
The 11th general meeting was scheduled to take place in Sydney, Australia. The meeting was inquorate. Participants at the meeting pledged opposition to apartheid and support for
In 1988 the following national
1987
Sweden hosts 10th general meeting
The following national
1982
Israel is location for general meeting
The 9th general meeting took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, where the first subgroup, International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapists (IFOMT), is recognised and the following national
1978
Subgroups established
Subgroups are established at the 8th general meeting in Montreal, Canada, and the following national
1974
Amsterdam hosts 7th general meeting
The 7th general meeting took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the following national
1970
Australia hosts general meeting for the first time
Melbourne, Australia, was the location for the 6th general meeting where the following national
1967
General meeting returns to Denmark
The 5th general meeting took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the following national
1963
First association from South America
The first national
1959
First general meeting outside Europe
New York, US, was the location for the 3rd general meeting where the following national
1956

2nd general meeting takes place in London
London, UK, was the location for the 2nd general meeting and the first congress
1953
Founding members
11 national
- Australian Physiotherapy Association
- Canadian Physiotherapy Association
- Association of Danish Physiotherapists
- Finnish Association of Physiotherapists
- German Association for Physiotherapy
- Physiotherapy New Zealand
- Norwegian Physiotherapist Association
- South African Society of Physiotherapy
- Swedish Association of Physiotherapists
- Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
- American Physical Therapy Association
1951
