country flag
Member organisation

Physiotherapists' Association of Brazil

Associação de Fisioterapeutas do BrasilBrazilSouth America
mo-hero-overlay
mo-hero-default

The Physiotherapists' Association of Brazil (AFB) was created in 2005 at the Brazilian Congress of Physiotherapy in São Paulo and became a member of World Physiotherapy in 2007. AFB is part of our South America region. 

Specialty groups

The Physiotherapists' Association of Brazil, or its national special interest groups, are members of the following specialty groups recognised by World Physiotherapy:

Year established

2005

World Physiotherapy member since

2007

Year members reported

2022

Number of physiotherapist members

3,800

Contact details

Key contacts

Brazil: a profile of the profession in 2022

mo-pdf-iconDownload profilemo-pdf-iconData disclaimerData correct as at 30 June 2022

Professional titles protected by law

tick-icon

Bacharel em Fisioterapia

About Physiotherapists' Association of Brazil and the physiotherapy profession in Brazil

Practising physiotherapists in the country/territory

250,000 (estimated)

11.68

Per 10,000 population

female-icon

% female

60%

In this country/territory

Physiotherapist members in this member organisation (MO)

3,800

female-icon

% female

57%

In this MO

Physiotherapy professional entry level education

Minimum qualification required to practice

Bachelors degree

Equivalent fulltime years

4

Number of programmes

1078

Entry level physiotherapy education programmes

Please contact the Physiotherapists' Association of Brazil for details of entry level education programmes in Brazil

Regulation

* = Continuing Professional Development

tick-icon

Registration required to practice

cross-icon

CPD* required for re-registration

cross-icon

CPD* required for membership

What is required to practice in the country/territory?

There are 18 regional regulatory bodies (https://www.coffito.gov.br/nsite/?page_id=51) and a central federal organisation, Federal Council for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (COFFITO), to regulate and supervise the profession. More information: https://www.coffito.gov.br/nsite/?page_id=5416

Practice

Which authority defines scope of practice

Ministry of Health or another government department

tick-icon

Standards of practice

The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

tick-icon

Education for autonomous practice

All programmes

tick-icon

Legislation supports private practice

Physiotherapists are permitted to

  • tick-icon

    Act as first contact/autonomous practitioners

  • tick-icon

    Assess patients/clients

  • tick-icon

    Make a diagnosis

  • tick-icon

    Offer preventative advice/services

  • tick-icon

    Refer to other specialists/services

  • tick-icon

    Treat (interventions, advice and evaluation of outcome)

  • tick-icon

    Provide telehealth services

Direct access

*Direct access means a person can refer themselves to a physiotherapist without referral from another health professional

tick-icon

Direct access* permitted?

tick-icon

Can people self refer to physiotherapists in private practice?

Will this be reimbursed?

In part

tick-icon

Can people self refer to physiotherapists in the public system?

Limitations

What are the circumstances in which direct access is limited?

  • cross-icon

    Setting (eg. outpatient, private practice, school setting, prevention and wellness, etc)

  • cross-icon

    Population/health condition (eg. musculoskeletal, non-complex, etc)

  • cross-icon

    Time (eg. medical referral required if treatment is needed beyond 30 or 60 days)

  • cross-icon

    Training (eg. certification, academic training, or CPD to demonstrate skill necessary to treat patients without referral from a medial doctor)

  • tick-icon

    Other

Some private health insurance only authorize treatment when requested by a doctor

Special interest groups recognised by the member organisation

  • tick-icon

    Aquatics

  • tick-icon

    Acupuncture

  • tick-icon

    Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy

  • tick-icon

    Educators in physiotherapy

  • tick-icon

    Electrophysical agents

  • tick-icon

    Mental health

  • tick-icon

    Orthopaedics/manual therapy

  • tick-icon

    Older people

  • tick-icon

    Oncology/palliative care and HIV

  • tick-icon

    Pain management

  • tick-icon

    Paediatrics

  • tick-icon

    Sports physiotherapy

  • tick-icon

    Womens health

  • tick-icon

    Management/administration

  • tick-icon

    Neurology

  • tick-icon

    Occupational health and ergonomics

  • tick-icon

    Private practitioners

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events

http://www.afb.org.br

Profile of the profession in this region

A global profile of the profession is also available.

Map filter

Accessible version of data

  • Expand all
  • Collapse all

Argentina

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

1,238 (1000-10000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

8.73 (5-10)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

61% (60-80%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

60% (40-60%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

5.24 (5-10)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

No

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

No

Is direct access permitted?

Private only

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Brazil

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

3,800 (1000-10000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

11.68 (10-15)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

58% (40-60%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

60% (40-60%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

25.19 (>20)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

Yes, All programmes (Yes)

Is direct access permitted?

Yes

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Chile

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

1,007 (1000-10000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

19.7 (15-20)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

43% (40-60%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

55% (40-60%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

20.3 (>20)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

One or more independent regulation/licensing/registration authorities (Independent)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

No

Is direct access permitted?

No

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Colombia

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

320 (100-1000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

7.33 (5-10)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

87% (>80%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

87% (>80%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

3.32 (1-5)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

Yes, Some programmes (Some)

Is direct access permitted?

Private only

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Costa Rica

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

3,270 (1000-10000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

7.24 (5-10)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

74% (60-80%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

84% (>80%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

4.86 (1-5)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Member organisation

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

Yes, All programmes (Yes)

Is direct access permitted?

Private only

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

Yes

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Ecuador

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

101 (100-1000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

3.35 (1-5)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

58% (40-60%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

70% (60-80%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

3.35 (1-5)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

No

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

Yes, All programmes (Yes)

Is direct access permitted?

Yes

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

Yes

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Mexico

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

571 (100-1000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

1.75 (1-5)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

69% (60-80%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

70% (60-80%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

9.44 (5-10)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, More than one

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

Yes, Some programmes (Some)

Is direct access permitted?

Private only

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Peru

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

138 (100-1000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

2.46 (1-5)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

81% (>80%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

85% (>80%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

2.7 (1-5)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

No

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

No

Is direct access permitted?

No

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

Yes

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Uruguay

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

399 (100-1000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

4.5 (1-5)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

72% (60-80%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

72% (60-80%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Bachelors degree

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

4.3 (1-5)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

Yes, All programmes (Yes)

Is direct access permitted?

No

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Venezuela

How many physiotherapist members does our member organisation have?

159 (100-1000)

How many practising physiotherapists per 10,000 population?

0.17 (<1)

What proportion of physiotherapist members are female?

53% (40-60%)

What proportion of practising physiotherapists are female?

48% (40-60%)

What is the minimum qualification required to practice?

Diploma

How many entry level education programmes per 5,000,000 population?

1.39 (1-5)

Is registration required to practice?

Yes

Which authority defines scope of practice?

A partnership between a regulation/licensing/registration body and your organisation (Partnership)

Is practice guided by specified standards of practice?

Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority

Are physiotherapists educated for autonomous practice?

No

Is direct access permitted?

No

Do support personnel work with physiotherapists?

No

Do physiotherapists need to be a member of our member organisation to practice?

No

Are physiotherapists permitted to provide telehealth services?

Yes

Related content

left-shape