Materials for the day were translated into 22 languages, compared with 12 languages in 2018. The toolkit produced for 2019 was downloaded more than for any previous WPTD toolkit: 118,800 downloads, compared with 52,414 in 2018. The most downloaded items were:
- Flyer (PT): 5,590
- WPTD2019 Resources: 5,196
- Postcard (PT): 4,947
- Social media graphics: 4,386
Many of the infographics and posters were downloaded more than 3,000 times. Polish was the most downloaded language.
Wendy Chan, Vice President of the Macau Physical Therapists Association, said: ‘The translated material in Chinese was really helpful in raising awareness of the profession and its role in chronic pain management to our target audience. Our World PT Day team printed the material and distributed it to the public. It was very well-received. We would like to thank WCPT for providing the World PT Day toolkit and the Taiwan Physical Therapy Association for translating the material into Chinese.’
Abeer Al-Tajalli, General Secretary of the Kuwaiti Physical Therapy Association, said: ‘The translated materials were very helpful in delivering the theme. We loved the flyer about chronic pain MYTHS! Some people were impressed regarding their old beliefs about chronic pain.
‘People who had the chance to visit us during the celebration had a good understanding of the physical therapist’s role with chronic pain. Most people thought that chronic pain can only be handled by professional physical therapist.
‘It was our first public activity as the new KPTA board and the activities we organised helped raise awareness of physical therapy. We hope to arrange more activities at different levels to continue delivering the message.’
On Twitter, the hashtag #worldptday appeared in 3,275 tweets on 8 September (an average of 138 tweets an hour) and in 5,997 tweets during September (an average of nine tweets an hour).
Activity reports
WPTD activity reports from 27 countries have been published, including reports from 15 member organisations:
- Bangladesh Physiotherapy Association
- Colombian Association of Physiotherapy
- Indonesian Physiotherapy Association
- Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists
- Jamaica Physiotherapy Association
- Chamber of Physiotherapists of Kosovo
- Kuwaiti Physical Therapy Association
- Macau Physical Therapists Association
- Mexican Association of Physiotherapy
- Chamber of Physiotherapists of Montenegro
- Namibian Society of Physiotherapy
- Peruvian Association of Physical Therapists
- Portuguese Association of Physiotherapists
- Physiotherapy Association of Saint Lucia
- Slovenian Association of Physiotherapists
Pedro Jorge Rebelo, President of the Portuguese Association of Physiotherapists, said: ‘The translated materials had a very positive impact within the Portuguese physiotherapy community and were used widely, both in social media and in the numerous initiatives that the Portuguese Association of Physiotherapy (APFISIO) sought to stimulate throughout the country.
‘We believe that people made the link between physiotherapy and chronic pain and we had patient associations expressing themselves very positively about the materials used in this year’s celebration. The activities developed by Portuguese physiotherapists undoubtedly increased the awareness of the profession, which was evidenced by the considerable number of people participating in the different initiatives that took place all over the country and by the activity and feedback provided in the social networks by non-physiotherapists. This was one of the most active, if not the most active year, which made APFISIO very proud.’
