Introduction

Physiotherapy in Europe is developing dynamically. Advanced Practice in Physiotherapy is one of the elements supporting the trend. Aim: An analysis of individual physiotherapeutic procedures falling within the Advanced Practice in Physiotherapy.

Material and methods

An original questionnaire has been used on the characteristics of the advanced competences of a physiotherapist. The questionnaire in the form of a link was sent by e-mail to 41 representatives of physiotherapy associations in the European region, World Physiotherapy.

Results

The advanced physiotherapeutic procedures included: disruption of skin continuity; referrals for specialist diagnostic procedures; referrals to another specialist; referrals for drugs and medical devices; conducting and description of specialized diagnostic tests. Most countries recognize the competence of a physiotherapist to write referrals for medical devices and to conduct and describe specialist tests (superficies EMG, spirometry, soft tissue ultrasound). Most of the differences concern the legal possibility of prescribing drugs by a physiotherapist.

Conclusions

There is a need to define transparent advanced scopes of a physiotherapist and to unify the legal regulations concerning individual physiotherapeutic procedures.