Part one: Introduction to patient education

What is patient education?

Patient education is more than just giving advice, it’s a dynamic process that shapes how patients understand their condition, make decisions, and take control of their health. In physiotherapy, education is not an add-on, it’s central to effective patient care.

As Tones and Tilford (2001) noted, patient education is embedded in every health setting; primary, secondary, and tertiary care, ranging from prevention to treatment. It extends beyond sharing information to working collaboratively with the patient to guide change, build confidence, learn and master skills and foster long-term self-management.

Trede (2000) highlighted that in physiotherapy, patient education is not just about what we say but how we engage with patients to help them make sense of their condition and how they manage it. Ultimately, patient education is a reciprocal exchange, an interactive, structured process where both the patient and physiotherapist work together and learn from one another (Bastable, 2016).