Physiotherapist
Helps people move better after injury, illness or surgery, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice to ease pain and build strength.
Physiotherapists work in hospitals, clinics, sports teams and people's homes, treating everyone from stroke patients to injured athletes. It suits active, encouraging people who like anatomy and enjoy seeing patients improve week by week.
Also called Physical therapist or Physio.
At a glance
- Way in
- Bachelor's degree, often in physiotherapy and physical therapy
- Pay in the US
- $102,760 a year, the medianFor physical therapists, 2025
- Pay in the UK
- £32,000 starting to £48,000 with experience
- US outlook
- Much faster than average, 2025-2035
- Suits you if
- You like anatomy, being on your feet and helping people regain independence
Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.
The work
What does a physiotherapist do?
- Assess how a patient moves and find the cause of pain, weakness or stiffness
- Plan treatment with exercises, manual therapy, massage and electrotherapy
- Help patients on wards get up and walking again after surgery or a stroke
- Teach people how to protect their joints and avoid injury at home and at work
- Record progress and adjust the programme as the patient recovers
Where they work
- Hospital wards and outpatient clinics
- Private physiotherapy practices
- Sports clubs and gyms
- Care homes and patients' homes
- GP practices
Skills
The skills a physiotherapist needs
- Anatomy knowledgemuscles, joints, nerves and how they move
- Hands-on techniquemanual therapy and guiding exercise safely
- Encouragementkeeping patients motivated through slow progress
- Observationnoticing small changes in posture and movement
- Physical fitnesslifting, supporting and moving patients
- Record keepingclear notes on assessment and progress
Route in
How to become a physiotherapist
- Take science subjects at school, biology especially, and get some experience in a care or sports setting
- Complete an approved degree in physiotherapy, including supervised clinical placements
- Register with the national regulator before you treat patients on your own
- Gain experience in rotations, then specialise in an area such as sport, neurology or respiratory care
Degrees people take
- Physiotherapy
- Physical therapy
In the UK, physiotherapists register with the HCPC and degree apprenticeships exist; in the US, the entry degree is the Doctor of Physical Therapy plus a state licence.
Practise for it
The quizzes and tools that fit
- Physiology quizzes
- Exercise Physiology15 questions
- Puberty15 questions
- Blood Clotting15 questions
- Neuroscience quizzes
- Reflex Arc15 questions
- Spinal Cord15 questions
- Cognitive Neuroscience: Language & Lateralization15 questions
Also on biofideX
Next to it
Careers to weigh against it
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- $97,550
- UK
- £32,000–£48,000
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- Way in
- Professional degree
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- $244,180
- UK
- £79,000–£119,000
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Physician Associate
- Way in
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- US
- $135,880
- UK
- £48,000–£57,000
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- Way in
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- $76,400
- UK
- £32,000–£48,000
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- Way in
- Bachelor's
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- $80,110
- UK
- £32,000–£48,000
Sources
Where the facts come from
Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.
- O*NET OnLine: Physical Therapists (29-1123.00)(CC BY 4.0)
- National Careers Service: Physiotherapist(Open Government Licence v3.0)
Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.
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