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Order of Physiotherapists joins the theme "Mental Health is a universal human right"

Today, 10 October, is World Mental Health Day, a date established by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). The World Health Organisation (WHO) also recognises and marks this day, this year with the theme: "Mental health is a universal human right".

The Order of Physiotherapists believes that World Mental Health Day is also an opportunity to raise awareness among the population and all users of physiotherapy care of the importance of the work of the physiotherapist. Physiotherapy in Mental Health.

Dear citizen. Did you know...

  • Physiotherapy in mental health is a transversal and specific area of physiotherapy, which operates in different health, mental health, psychiatric and psychosomatic medicine environments?
  • Does mental health physiotherapy address the relationship between psychological problems and somatic disorders (sleep disturbances, pain-related fear, psychological stress and depressed mood associated with a medical condition)?
  • Physiotherapy in mental health works on the relationship between mild mental problems and the main chronic non-communicable diseases. (anxiety and moderate depression associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; diabetes and cancer; depression associated with chronic pain; post-traumatic stress disorder associated with fibromyalgia and polytrauma and anxiety associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)?
  • Does physiotherapy in mental health work in the specialised approach to serious mental illnesses (major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and addictive behaviours and dependencies) in psychiatric units/hospitals?
  • Do physiotherapists working in the mental health field use technical strategies for body awareness and movement, as well as exercise and physical activity?
  • Are sensory stimulation techniques, relaxation therapy, psychomotor and psychosomatic physiotherapy strategies used by physiotherapists in the area of mental health?

O Mental Health Physiotherapy Working Group recommends reading some information for the benefit of physiotherapists.

Dear fellow physiotherapist. Did you know...

  • A 2022 meta-analysis concluded that physical exercise performed 3 times a week for 8 weeks reduces symptoms of depression in adolescents? (read more) here)
  • The higher the levels of physical activity, the greater the improvement in schizophrenia symptoms according to a 2022 meta-analysis that included 27 studies? (read more) here)
  • A recent study suggests that aerobic exercise has benefits in improving mental health in people over 60? (read more here)
  • Has there been a National Coordination of Mental Health Policies since 2021? (read more) here)
  • There has been a World Physiotherapy specialisation group dedicated to Mental Health Physiotherapy since 2011? (find out more) here)
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Pedro Maciel Barbosa

Specialist physiotherapist at the Matosinhos Local Health Unit Sub-coordinator for Primary Health Care, Matosinhos Local Health Unit Visiting Assistant Professor at the Porto School of Health Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Health - SNS Member of the General Council of the Order of Physiotherapists

Carlos Sand

Carlos Areia has been a physiotherapist since 2013, and has worked in various hospitals, clinics and clubs in both Portugal and the UK. He began his academic career at Oxford University in 2016, where he led a clinical trial comparing physiotherapy vs surgery in anterior cruciate injuries in 32 hospitals in England. In 2018 she moved to the neurosciences department, where she developed her own studies on remote monitoring of vital signs, which were implemented during the pandemic. Here he discovered his passion for data, and in 2022, he joined Digital Science as a Data Scientist. He completed his PhD earlier this year, and has more than 60 publications in journals such as The Lancet, BMJ, Cochrane, among others. He is also an honorary lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and a consultant in clinical research.

Eduardo José Brazete Carvalho Cruz

PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Brighton, UK. Post-Doctorate in Epidemiology from the National School of Public Health at the New University of Lisbon.
Coordinator of the Studies and Planning Office of the Order of Physiotherapists. Coordinating Professor of the Physiotherapy Department of the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (ESS-IPS). President of the ESS-IPS Technical-Scientific Council. Coordinator of the Physiotherapy Department at ESS-IPS. Integrated Researcher at the Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC) (a partnership between FCM-UNL, the National School of Public Health, the University of Évora, the Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health and Santo Espírito Hospital, Terceira Island, Azores).

Sara Souto Miranda

Sara Souto Miranda has a bachelor's and master's degree in physiotherapy from the University of Aveiro, and a postgraduate qualification in adult respiratory physiotherapy from the same institution. In 2023 she completed her double doctorate in Rehabilitation Sciences/Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at the Universities of Aveiro and Maastricht (Netherlands) and is currently working as a technical-scientific advisor to the Studies and Planning Office (GEP) of the Order of Physiotherapists, and as a guest lecturer at the Piaget Institute in Vila Nova de Gaia. As a member of the Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Aveiro (Lab3R), she has carried out applied research in which she has assessed and treated patients with respiratory pathology, having taken part in 6 research projects. Throughout her career she has published 19 scientific articles in international peer-reviewed journals with an impact factor, 1 book chapter and more than 50 abstracts in conference proceedings. She was a research volunteer at the Ciro rehabilitation centre (Centre for expertise in chronic organ failure) in the Netherlands, and is currently a member of the Guideline Methodology Network of European Respiratory Society. She was honoured by European Lung Foundation e European Respiratory Society for carrying out patient-centred research, by the Directorate General for Higher Education with a merit grant for his master's degree, and by the Ciro Centre with a grant to support research abroad.

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