Physiotherapy is a branch of medical science that deals with the treatment of injuries and/or disorders by using physical agents. Health care providers have attempted to classify physical agents, mechanical modalities, and/or electrotherapy as “Physiotherapy.”Clinicians identified with a system of the body are more easily recognized for their expertise. Physiotherapy does not provide ready association with content expertise.
Physiotherapy was describedin Hausa language as ‘’Gashi’’, loosely translated as ‘’roasting or fire’’. According to physiotherapy terminology, the term ‘’Gashi’’ describes heat therapy. However, Hausas ‘’Gashi’’ widely refers not only to heat therapy, but physiotherapy practice in general.
The term ‘’Gashi’’ has limited the scope of physiotherapy practice. Hence, describing physiotherapy as ‘’Gashi’’ is a gross misrepresentation and the greatest misnomer of the perception of physiotherapy and physiotherapists in the Northern Nigeria. Therefore, it was suggested that the word ‘’Gashi’’ should be changed and replaced with “Physiotherapy” written in Hausa language transliteration as FISIYOTERAFI.
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Volume 25 (1)
