Manual and Musculoskeletal PT Advocacy

• Nathan Hutting (Co-Chair) – Netherlands
• Ina Diener (Co-Chair) – South Africa
• Andoni Carrasco Uribarren – Spain
• Arkandiusz Zurawski – Poland
• Firas Mourad – Italy
• Jake Magel – USA
• Partick Quimio – Canada
• Shaun Malone – Belgium
• Clarissa Kusuma – Indonesia
• Paolo Sanzo (EC Liaison)
• Ingrid du Toit (ED)

To advise the EC on contemporary evidence-based practice and advocacy in relation to manual and musculoskeletal physiotherapy across all the member countries of IFOMPT.

Members must belong to a MO, AMO, or RIG of IFOMPT.

• Objective 1: Conduct a comprehensive investigation into the current status of manual and musculoskeletal physiotherapy across IFOMPT MOs and RIGs to inform future directions. This includes:
  • Investigating the local definitions used for manual and musculoskeletal physiotherapy and proposing universal terminology that could be used in the IFOMPT context considering historical influences, language and cultural systems as well as regulatory frameworks and scope of practice.
  • Initiating dialogue with MOs and RIGs to identify local challenges, barriers to engagement, and strategies that sustain relevance in evolving healthcare landscapes.
  • Exploring the policy environments, organisational structures, and systemic challenges affecting manual physiotherapy practices and how advocacy affects legislative and funding outcomes across the IFOMPT member countries.
  • Exploring factors contributing to professional disengagement and develop strategies for revitalising interest and engagement.
  • Exploring career pathways across the world and how IFOMPT can contribute to and lead the debate given that the majority of advanced practitioners and specialists would be MSK clinicians.
  • Investigating differences in manual therapy approaches across countries and cultures and identifying strategies to harmonize core competencies while respecting local contexts.
  • Examining prevailing philosophies, emerging trends (e.g. AI), and conventional developments in manual and musculoskeletal physiotherapy globally to guide IFOMPT’s strategic evolution and innovation.
• Objective 2: Provide informed, timely, and context-sensitive recommendations to the EC on advocacy issues referred to the Task Force, with the aim of advancing the visibility, impact, and relevance of manual and musculoskeletal physiotherapy globally.
• Objective 3: Provide recommendations on future research directions in this area in order to pro-actively identify areas of concern or where work is required.

The TFMMA is appointed by the EC and is answerable to the EC. The Chair along with the EC allocated member will be responsible for ensuring effective communication between the group and the EC.

The TFMMA will work remotely using email, video conferencing, online meeting platforms, or any other technology as needed to enable fair and reasonable consideration of any matters. All documents will be available to members in electronic format (Teams Folders), information contained in documents is confidential to IFOMPT staff, the TFMMA, and the EC.

Members of the TFMMA will comply with IFOMPT’s conflict of interest policy and code of conduct policy, and any other relevant policies, at all times. Members will declare any matters that may create a true or perceived conflict of interest or bias at the start of each meeting and at other times as required by policies.

The TFMMA cannot invite further individuals onto the group without the specific agreement of the EC and cannot perform any tasks outside of the agreed to scope without prior approval from the EC.