Opportunities

An overview of the opportunities afforded by generative AI in the context of clinical practice.

The integration of generative AI into physiotherapy practice offers transformative potential to enhance how practitioners assess, treat, and engage with patients across various clinical settings. This technology presents opportunities to augment clinical reasoning, personalise interventions, and streamline administrative processes that traditionally consume significant practitioner time. By using AI thoughtfully, physiotherapists can potentially improve clinical reasoning, develop more tailored treatment approaches, and create more efficient practice workflows, ultimately allowing for greater focus on the essential human elements of therapeutic care. The following examples suggest some of the way that generative AI might enhance physiotherapy practice.

Note that some of the functionality described below requires custom software i.e. it is not available directly via the .

Enhanced administrative efficiency

Potential for automating routine administrative tasks to reduce the workload on clinicians, allowing more time for direct patient care.

• Streamline documentation, appointment scheduling, and report generation

• Reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, improving productivity

• Standardise reports for consistent communication with other healthcare providers

Enhanced clinical reasoning

AI can analyse patient data, including medical histories, assessment outcomes, and patient preferences, to support clinical reasoning and potentially improve diagnostic accuracy (Bilika, et al., 2024; Bragazzi & Garbarino, 2024; Cabral, et al., 2024).

• Identify subtle patterns and risk factors that might be overlooked by offering alternative perspectives

• Support clinical reasoning in less experienced clinicians, sometimes by suggesting connections between symptoms in complex presentations

Personalised treatment planning

AI enables the creation of personalised treatment plans by considering multiple patient-specific factors such as medical history, lifestyle, and personal goals (Baig, et al., 2024; Wah, 2025).

• Helps adjust treatment plans based on patient progress and feedback

• Supports goal-oriented therapy, improving patient motivation and adherence through personalisation

• Enhanced patient clinical pathway, supporting rapid access to personalised advice

• Provide personalised exercise reminders and progress tracking

Enhanced patient education and engagement

AI can generate customised educational materials to improve patient understanding and support active participation in their care.

• Create tailored exercise guides, progress trackers, and interactive learning tools

• Provide on-demand information through chatbots and virtual assistants

• Foster better adherence to treatment plans through personalised engagement strategies

By leveraging these opportunities, physiotherapists can enhance clinical outcomes, improve patient satisfaction, and optimise workflow efficiency.

Discussion and reflection on opportunities

1. How might AI-enhanced diagnosis and assessment change the way you approach patient evaluation?

2. In what ways could personalised AI-generated treatment plans improve patient outcomes in your practice?

3. How do you envision using AI feedback in your day-to-day patient interactions?

4. What administrative tasks in your practice could benefit most from AI-support?

5. How might AI-powered patient education tools change the way you communicate with and engage your patients?

6. How could AI-powered tools be used for prevention and health promotion initiatives?