G u e s t E d i t o r i a l E d i t o r : - C.J. Eales, PhD University o f the Witwatersrand A s s i s t a n t E d i t o r : - A. Stewart, MSc University o f the Witwatersrand E d i t o r i a l B o a r d : N a t io n a l M e m b e r s - M. Goodman, PhD - S.L. Amosun, PhD University o f the Western Cape - P. Gounden, PhD University of Durban-Westville - M. Papadoupolos, MSc University of Pretoria - M. Faure, MPhil University of Stellenbosch - N. Mbambo, MSc MEDUNSA I n t e r n a t io n a l M e m b e r s - A. Akinpelu, PhD University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria - T.H.A. Kolobe, PhD University o f Illinois, Chicago - K. Shepard, PhD Temple University, Philadelphia - C. Partridge, PhD University of Kent, Canterbury R e v i e w P a n e l : - A m osun, D ele - Bester, Ria - B ow erbank, Pat - C rous, Lynette - D avid, H elen - D e C harm oy, Sue - D iener, Ina - E ksteen, C arina - Faure, M ary - Feam head, Lynn - Fortune, Jessica - G iraud, Jill - G ounden, Balen ; - Hunter, Linda ! - Irw in-C arruthers, Sheena - K em p, Stephanie - M bam bo, N oncebba - M othabeng, Joyce - M pofu, R atie - Papadopoulos, M agda - Paulsen, Tom - Potterton, Joanne - Puckree, L ina - Sm ith, E lsa I - Sw artz, A lm a | - Uys, M arietta i - Van R ooijen, Tanya T he South A frican S ociety o f Physiotherapy celebrated its 75th anniversary in Septem ber 2000. A milestone such as this is always a good tim e to pause and reflect on past achieve­ ments and future directions. I believe that som e reflection on our know ledge base w ould be appropriate as we enter the new m illenium and the next phase o f our professional developm ent. The strength o f any profession lies in its know ledge w hich should reflect solid evidence-based research. This research then becom es the backbone o f clinical practice. Is phy sio th erap y a science? The answ er to that question is a qualified yes. Physiotherapy is slowly developing its own science and slowly developing its own evidence-base for its practice. Increasingly the term “evidence-based” is being used by som e academ ics and som e clinicians. P roviding the evidence on w hich g ood physiotherapy p ractice can be based requires research to be undertaken by mem bers o f our profession. In fact research is now an essential part o f our practice not only for the well being o f our patients but also for the survival o f our profession. The em phasis in the health care sector now is ’’value for m oney“ . It is no longer good enough to say som ething works, we m ust be in a position to provide the evidence that it does. R esearch is not a luxury for a profession but the basis on which pro­ fessions are built. It is also a necessary part o f providing quality care for our patients. W hat universities need to be doing is to produce graduates who are research- m inded. By that is m eant physiothera­ pists who understand the research process and who have learned to read and criti­ cally evaluate the literature. In addition they need to produce physiotherapists w ho constantly evaluate w hat they are doing and are sufficiently critical and honest about their practice that they base w hat they are doing on the available evi­ dence in the literature. In addition both the universities and the profession itse lf should actively encourage physiotherapists who have the interest to pursue research careers. One o f the goals o f the society should be to assist in financing research to a greater extent than at the moment. Universities should be encouraged to build up their research program m es and collaborate with each other and the profession. H ockey 1985 described the attributes o f a good researcher as the following- being curious, being com petent, having integrity, having com m on sense and a sense o f humour. These are the attributes o f a good physiotherapist! So how does a good physiotherapist becom e a good researcher? H ockey’s advice is simple- explore what is written about the research process, w ork w ith research colleagues and practice. Perseverance and humility could be added to that advice as well! The profession led by the HPCS A and the society should encourage evidence- b ased con tin u in g education courses. T hese courses should be rew arded by m ore C PD points than those w hich are not evidence-based. In fact Jules Roth- stein in his editorial in P hysical Therapy in N ovem ber 1999 goes even further. H e says that learning about treatments that are not supported by the evidence does not m ake sense. It is both unethical and im m oral. H e suggests that the givers o f courses should ensure that they have the evidence for their new techniques and strategies prior to giving the courses. H e feels that it is tim e for a m oratorium on untested ideas and treatm ents. Physiotherapists need to be encour­ aged to jo in their nearest m edical library and learn to read critically. After all it is probably cheaper than m ost courses and ultim ately more rew arding because read­ ing critically m ay well lead to a far m ore critical evaluation o f our practice. R ead in g the literatu re w ill also be rew arded by C PD points in the future. The benefits to the profession o f a solid research base are im m ense. The evidence will be there when negotiating w ith health funders; the evidence will be there to provide the best clinical practice and the evidence will be there to increase the status o f the profession. AIMEE STEWART Assistant Editor 2 SA J o u r n a l o f P h y s io th e ra p y 2000 V o l 56 No 4 R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )