Physiotherapies

Biography

Biography: Tripti R A Gyan

Abstract

There is a misconception that evidence based practice stymie creativity and innovation. Whilst physiotherapy treatment must remain founded on the same evidence-based approach that has made effective intervention standardized, having a flexible and open mind in our approach does not infer naivety. We must stay abreast of what is being researched whilst observing the best of practice; acknowledging that our shortcomings as a profession can be viewed as an opportunity to rise to the challenges they present, and developing strategies to improve upon them. New research and innovation require knowledge to be gathered, synthesized and applied with relevance to our patients. Creativity adds professional value via ‘thinking’ differently; ‘innovation’ brings market value by ‘doing’ differently. Both involve behavioural change in practice. This shift in traditionally structured thinking requires rigour and trust in the process to achieve the desired results. Any profession that is innovative and emotionally intelligent will thrive. Innovation strategies, therefore, need to be flexible and reactive to deal with the unexpected. This is where professional resilience and agility begin to have meaning. A collaborative, resilient profession that is forward-thinking will have longevity and achieve far more. To thrive, we need to embrace possibilities, not just probabilities; be informed by research, yet not be dictated by it. We can make forecasts, but we cannot be certain what the future holds. It is inevitable that new questions regarding the efficacy of physiotherapy treatment will always be asked, with new perspectives offered in light of research continuously emerging. We need to explore whether we can make our knowledge more relevant in the modern world and increase our market value in an industry where unpredictable external imperatives exist.