Photograph from opening ceremony of a World Physiotherapy congress

Benefits of membership

As a World Physiotherapy member organisation, your association is recognised as the sole authoritative body for physiotherapy in your country, with access to a wide range of benefits.

World Physiotherapy represents more than 600,000 physiotherapists through its 127 member organisations, and is the international voice for physiotherapy.

On behalf of its member organisations, World Physiotherapy undertakes a range of projects and supports international campaigns to promote the physiotherapy profession and its contribution to global health. It encourages high standards of physiotherapy research, education and practice. 

All physiotherapists are linked to World Physiotherapy through membership of their national physiotherapy association. We do not offer membership for individual physiotherapists. 

As a member organisation, your association and its individual members have access to a number of benefits.

Policy and representation

  • Member organisations can attend and vote at the World Physiotherapy general meeting, which is held every four years, to help ensure World Physiotherapy’s work benefits the profession in your country/territory and worldwide
  • We provide support for your association to establish standards, develop education programmes, and regulate the physiotherapy profession in your country/territory
  • You will have opportunities to contribute to and have your say on World Physiotherapy projects
  • We can offer documents and letters of support to help you develop the profession in your country/territory

Events

  • World PT Day – be part of the global profession and join in with this World Physiotherapy-sponsored day on 8 September to celebrate physiotherapy and its contribution to global health. We provide ready-to-print promotional materials, together with information and ideas on planning activities and events. When you send us a report about your World PT Day activities, we will include it on our website.
  • Congress – World Physiotherapy holds the profession’s largest international congress, showcasing advances in physiotherapy research, practice and education. Enjoy the members’ discount to attend.

Resources

As a member organisation you can expect to:

  • receive our monthly update with international news and information resources for member organisations and individual physiotherapists.
  • access World Physiotherapyguidelines and policies on professional issues, education and regulation helping the profession drive up professional standards around the world.
  • have a profile page for your national physiotherapy association on the World Physiotherapy website.
  • receive up-to-date information on relevant international health initiatives.
  • make contact with physiotherapists around the world through our networks, subgroups and discussion forums to help build the global physiotherapy community

International

  • World Physiotherapy works with international health bodies, including the World Health Organization and the World Health Professions Alliance, to ensure the physiotherapy profession is recognised and consulted on global health initiatives and campaigns, including the promotion of positive working environments, making non-communicable diseases a global priority, and ending the trade in counterfeit medical products. As a member organisation you are linked to these international health bodies.
  • World Physiotherapy is an NGO in official relations with the World Health Organization
  • Subgroups of World Physiotherapy are independent international physiotherapy organisations, each representing a specific area of interest

Awards

The profession’s most prestigious international honours recognise physiotherapists who have made outstanding international contributions to the profession and are made at congress.