How artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we design and deliver physiotherapy - and what that means for patients' of the future.
I recently used an AI model to help design a detailed 12-week home rehabilitation programme for a 62-year-old patient with knee osteoarthritis. The purpose was to see if I could be replaced by A.I and if there will eventually be a need for a face-to-face MSK assessment, because if a patient can sit in the comfort of their own home behind their computer or smart phone and get the same answers and support within seconds, then why do they need to travel 20 minutes to their appointment, sit for 30minutes discussing their goals all to return home with something that could have been created in-depth at home?
This hypothetical patient was living with hypertension and high cholesterol, their goal was to return to walking 5km once per week, building their tolerance from 1km walk twice per week. The programme covered progressive strengthening, pain monitoring, walking targets, cardiovascular safety, and some nutritional considerations. All grounded in physiotherapy evidence whilst being delivered at home, at zero cost to the patient.
Now I don't think we should be fearful of A.I, they are currently not replacing the clinician, but more so I think we should consider A.I as extending reach, personalising care, and making knowledge accessible at scale, potentially to those who may not have searched for support in the first place.
Let us pause for a moment, ask yourself are you using any A.I models in your current role or practice to help benefit not only yourself but your patients? If not, why not? When would you use and start to implement some form of A.I into your current role to help those in front of you but also improve efficiency and capacity throughout the working day?
What the research shows.
The evidence is building. A narrative review of 31 peer-reviewed studies found that AI-driven virtual physiotherapy assistants improve treatment adherence and reduce the need for in-person visits, while integrating wearable sensors to provide real-time feedback and personalised support that improves exercise accuracy.
A systematic review of over 9,000 articles identified randomised trials showing that AI-supported rehabilitation technology can produce improvements in physical function, activity levels, pain management, and quality of life — though the authors note that clinical effects remain inconsistent and further high-quality trials are needed.
A 2025 scoping review on AI in exercise-based cardiovascular rehabilitation found that AI shows real potential to personalise exercise prescriptions, improve adherence, and support safe monitoring in home settings — which is particularly relevant for patients like our case study, who must exercise safely within the constraints of hypertension.
The CSP's position on AI
The CSP published its AI principles in March 2025, developed with input from clinical and education experts and ratified by the CSP Council, covering AI use in practice, education, research, and as a service delivery method — addressing accountability, safety, and scope of practice.
Crucially, the CSP's position is that AI does not require entirely new policy — rather, existing principles for evaluating and using technology responsibly should be applied to AI as they would to any other clinical tool. That is a measured, grounded stance I fully align with.
Used thoughtfully, AI is a clinical amplifier. The programme I designed for our patient was built on physiotherapy evidence, then reviewed and shaped by a chartered physiotherapist before being shared. The AI produced the structure. The clinical reasoning, safety checking, and personalisation remained firmly human.
So what's next for Physiotherapy and A.I model's
Personally, when I think of A.I large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Co-pilot, these systems are already embedded within our daily life, something without even realising it. So the question should be how can we adapt and improve to keep up with demand and society and not get left behind. Remember, if something out there is willing to help and make our life more efficient, increase production output, assist with audits, service evaluations, financial reviews and knowledge transfer, surely we would be ignorant to avoid such help?
Some food for thought to take away with you.
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