Which knowledge? An examination of the knowledge at play in physiotherapy with children

This article explores how knowledge is expressed and enacted in the practice of physiotherapy with children. The empirical material was generated through close observation of seven physiotherapy treatment sessions involving 7 children between 6 and 11 years old and 5 physiotherapists. Observations were undertaken by the first author, whose post-session written notes, along with comments and questions, constitute the database of this article. Through processing and analysis of data, we have written and present three experiential anecdotes as basis for further analysis and discussion. The article shows how children take initiative during therapy and display playful knowledge both of their body, moving capacity and of the equipment and tasks introduced. The physiotherapists seem to tend to emphasize physiological knowledge relating to the body, its functions and the “dangers” of pathological movement patterns. As a result, physiotherapists and child clients appear caught in a kind of stagnant co-existence where their connection and contact are at a standstill and there is little exchange of knowledge between them. We argue that, for therapy with children to develop along qualitative and creative lines, physiotherapists need to explicitly recognize children as humans of knowledge and embrace their playful contributions as significant to therapy.