EDITORIAL ARE YOU FEELING THREATENED? At the end o f the 1950’s with the discovery of the Salk vaccine physiotherapists were worried that their work would disappear. Of there were no more polios to treat what would we do? All that happened was that the work expanded. Sur­ geons started closing myelomeningocceles and a whole new generation of patients was created. New artificial joints were invented and we were in business. When one door closes another opens. It was very noticeable at our recent Physiotherapy Con­ gress that the chest physiotherapists were feeling threatened. A plethora of research into chest physiotherapy over the past fifteen years has been questioning the value o f the various manoeuvres carried out by chest physiotherapists. This is no threat to you or the work you do. What will eventuate is a more refined and effective regimen of chest physiotherapy. What you will do will actively benefit the patient without your having to merely assume that the patient feels better and without your being able to prove any benefit. You need not feel bound by treatment regimens. You are becoming more and more essential in preventive work. The world health scene is changing into a wellness demand and your expertise must expand into this area. This latter is of course a First World concept and although we as health professionals need to be involved, we do not have the human resources. Third World health problems are overwhelming. There are still polios to treat! The number of patients needing real rehabilitative therapy is growing. We must overcome ignor­ ance and superstition. Every single person in the community has a right to the best we can offer - not First World options, but Third World requirements which will fit the disabled into their communities as productive members. N o physiotherapist in this country needs to feel threat­ ened. The work is there - far too much indeed for individuals to cope with. You need to combine with other health profes­ sionals to provide an optimum rehabilitation service available to all. So when you are feeling depressed about midwives, bio- kineticians, chiropractors etc. “taking your work away” look around you. The field of rehabilitation and prevention is wide open. The patients are waiting for you. L M DAVIDS* SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF PHYSIOTHERAPY P O Box 47238, Parklands 2121 3 Junction Avenue, Parktown, Johannesburg 2193 Telephone: (011) 643-5934 Facsimile: (011) 643-5934 President Mrs Molly Levy Honorary Life President Prof J J Craig Honorary Vice-Presidents Prof A Falkson Prof R B Goldschmidt Prof T Noakes Prof S A Strauss Prof D Weich Honorary Life Vice-Presidents Miss Lois Dyer Miss Jean Blair Miss Elizabeth Botting Chairman Prof Jo Beenhakker Vice-Chairman Miss Sheena Irwin-Carruthers Mrs Joyce Morton General Secretary Miss Lo-an Roux P 0 Box 47238, Parklands 2121 General Treasurer Mrs Rena Bernstein Journal Editor Miss Lyn Davids Physiotherapy Department, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Rondebosch 7700 National Executive Committee Mrs Marion Butler, Mrs Narina Gilder, Mrs Frances Glauber, Mrs Maureen Klemp, Mrs Anne Miot, Mrs Yvonne Seaman, Mrs Anita Stewart Public Relations Officer Mrs Elena Stock Appointments Information Secretary Miss Priscilla Blake BRANCH SECRETARIES Border: Wilma Stevens: 63 Bonza Bay Road, Beacon Bay 5241 (0431) 27350 (w) 47-4735 (h) Eastern Province Marion Butler: 6 Jutland Crescent, Park Drive, Port Elizabeth 6001 (041)55-6161 Goldfieids: Elmarie Snyman: P O Box 6312, Riebeeckstad, 9469 Namibia: Miss K Kaufmann-Gaerdes: P O Box 6090, Windhoek 9000 (061) 34513 (w) 21-5411 (h) Natal Coastal: Ashia Jamal: P 0 Box 4543, Durban 4000 (031) 21-1127 306-4793, Minutes: Niri Naidoo Natal Midlands: Pierette Melville: 3 Penny Lane, Hilton 3245 (0331) 34707 (w) 34647 (h) Northern Cape: Celna Wentzel: Posbus 215, Kimberley 8301 (0531) 33372 (w), 22344 (h) Northern Transvaal: Rita Henn: P 0 Box 27804, Sunnyside 0132, (021) 58-2725 Physio Dept (w) Southern OFS: Roelien van den Berg, 24 Jacobs Street, Universitas, Bloemfontein 9301 (051) 405-3367 (w), 22-4389 (h), Southern Transvaal: Minutes: Yolanda Cresswell: P 0 Box 1762, Randburg 2125 (011) 793-4833 (w), 793-7171 (h), Correspondence: Anna Bizos, Membership: Lo-an Roux: P 0 Box 72064, Parkview 2122, (011)646-1838 Western Province:.Tandi Coetzee: 9 Avoca Road, Ftondebosch 7700 (021) 637-9080 (w), 686-4385 ( h ) * Bladsy 2 Fisioterapie, Februarie 1990, dee! 46 no 1 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. )