Regulated health professions
Physiotherapy
What is Physiotherapy?
- What is Physiotherapy for?
- Treatment of body- and movement-related complaints, pain and rehabilitation
- Is Physiotherapy legally regulated?
- Legally regulated health profession (MTD Act). Listed in the health professions register (GBR).
- Does Physiotherapy treat illnesses?
- Yes, on medical prescription. Independently in prevention and with healthy people.
Physiotherapy has its core competence in body- and movement-related complaints, pain and rehabilitation, including psychosomatic and neurological topics.
What is allowed
- Treat movement and functional disorders and relieve pain
- Work on psychosomatic and stress-related physical complaints
- Provide rehabilitation after surgery, accidents and in neurological conditions
- Guide self-exercise and prevention
Where are the limits?
- No psychological or medical diagnosis
- No psychotherapy
- A medical prescription is required for the insurance benefit
How to recognise quality
- Listed in the health professions register
- Explains what it does and why
- Relies on active participation rather than passive applications only
- Refers on when the focus is psychological
How it works
- Prescriptionfrom GP or specialist, typically 10 sessions
- Assessmentmobility, pain and goal
- Treatmentactive and passive techniques plus home programme
- Courseadjust, new prescription if needed
Costs & insurance
ÖGK contract tariff (60 min)around 60 €, free for insured patients with prescription
Private therapyapprox. 70 to 105 € per session
Reimbursement for private therapyaround 80% of the contract tariff (ÖGK)
ÖGK approvalsuspended until 30 June 2027