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The scope of physiotherapy in men's health: a qualitative study on clinician experiences
Umit Erkut1, Birol Önal2, Sefa Unes3
1Rumeli University, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, İstanbul, Türkiye.
Introduction:
Men's health physiotherapy is an expanding subspecialty that addresses pelvic floor dysfunction, sexual health disorders, and chronic pelvic pain in men. However, practitioners' perspectives remain underexplored, particularly in healthcare contexts where referral pathways and interdisciplinary collaboration are not yet well established.
Aim:
This study aimed to explore how physiotherapists experience clinical practice in men's health physiotherapy and how sociocultural norms and healthcare system structures shape their professional practice.
Methods:
In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten male physiotherapists working in men's health physiotherapy in Türkiye between February and March 2025. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis approach.
Results:
Participants reported entering this field through a combination of responding to unmet clinical needs and seeking professional differentiation within a still under-institutionalized area of practice. Clinical encounters were strongly influenced by masculinity-related stigma and privacy concerns, positioning communication and trust-building as central components of care. Although participants valued a holistic approach integrating pelvic health and musculoskeletal perspectives, limited multidisciplinary collaboration and constrained referral pathways restricted the implementation of coordinated biopsychosocial care. Consequently, holistic care was often sustained through individual clinician effort rather than supported by institutionalized interdisciplinary frameworks.
Conclusion:
Men's health physiotherapy practice in Türkiye is shaped by the interaction of professional expectations, masculinity norms, and the structural configuration of healthcare delivery. Formalizing referral mechanisms, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration, and developing structured educational pathways may support more sustainable and integrated service provision.
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