About the Journal

The Journal of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary academic journal dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge, clinical practice, education, and innovation in physical therapy, rehabilitation, human movement, exercise, and related health sciences. The journal provides a scholarly platform for physiotherapists, rehabilitation professionals, movement scientists, clinicians, researchers, educators, healthcare practitioners, and students to disseminate original research, systematic reviews, clinical studies, theoretical contributions, methodological innovations, and evidence-based practices.

Physical therapy and rehabilitation sciences focus on restoring, maintaining, and enhancing movement, physical function, independence, participation, and quality of life among individuals affected by injury, disease, disability, aging, or other health conditions. Contemporary rehabilitation research extends from fundamental investigations of movement and physiological mechanisms to clinical interventions, community rehabilitation, health promotion, technology-enabled care, and rehabilitation service delivery. The journal seeks to promote rigorous research addressing the prevention and management of movement-related impairments and the optimization of human function across the lifespan. It welcomes research investigating therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, physical activity, biomechanics, motor control, pain management, rehabilitation technologies, clinical assessment, functional outcomes, and evidence-based rehabilitation interventions.

Particular emphasis is placed on research that bridges the gap between scientific discovery and clinical application. Studies addressing patient-centered care, personalized rehabilitation, functional recovery, disability prevention, health promotion, and quality-of-life improvement are especially encouraged. Contemporary physical therapy research also encompasses population health, mechanistic research, clinical research, education, health services, and workforce development.

The journal recognizes the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of rehabilitation and movement sciences. It therefore encourages collaboration among physical therapy, medicine, neuroscience, biomechanics, exercise science, psychology, biomedical engineering, occupational therapy, sports science, public health, and other relevant disciplines.

The Journal of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences also welcomes innovative research involving digital health, tele-rehabilitation, wearable technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, advanced movement analysis, and other emerging technologies that have potential to improve assessment, treatment, rehabilitation outcomes, and accessibility.

Through a rigorous peer-review process and commitment to scientific integrity, methodological quality, and ethical research, the journal aims to contribute to the development of evidence-based physical therapy and rehabilitation practice and to promote better movement, function, independence, health, and well-being across diverse populations.

Scope

The Journal of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences welcomes original research articles, systematic reviews, scoping reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, clinical trials, observational studies, qualitative research, case reports and case series, methodological papers, technical reports, and theoretical or conceptual contributions.

The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

1. Physical Therapy and Physiotherapy

Physical therapy
Physiotherapy
Clinical physiotherapy
Evidence-based physical therapy
Patient-centered physical therapy
Preventive physiotherapy
Physical therapy assessment
Therapeutic interventions
Functional rehabilitation
Physical therapy outcomes
Clinical decision-making

2. Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation

Orthopedic rehabilitation
Musculoskeletal disorders
Back and neck pain
Shoulder and upper-limb disorders
Hip, knee, and ankle conditions
Sports-related injuries
Joint rehabilitation
Tendinopathies
Arthritis rehabilitation
Post-operative rehabilitation
Musculoskeletal pain

3. Neurological Rehabilitation

Stroke rehabilitation
Spinal cord injury rehabilitation
Traumatic brain injury
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson's disease rehabilitation
Cerebral palsy
Neuromuscular disorders
Balance and coordination disorders
Gait rehabilitation
Neuroplasticity
Motor recovery

4. Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy
Respiratory therapy
Exercise-based cardiac care
Chronic respiratory disease rehabilitation
Post-intensive-care rehabilitation
Cardiopulmonary fitness
Exercise tolerance
Functional capacity

5. Pediatric Rehabilitation

Pediatric physiotherapy
Developmental disorders
Cerebral palsy
Developmental delay
Pediatric neuromuscular disorders
Pediatric musculoskeletal conditions
Early intervention
Motor development
Child mobility
Family-centered rehabilitation

6. Geriatric Rehabilitation

Geriatric physiotherapy
Healthy aging
Falls prevention
Frailty
Balance rehabilitation
Mobility in older adults
Age-related functional decline
Sarcopenia and physical function
Chronic disease rehabilitation
Independence and quality of life

7. Sports and Exercise Rehabilitation

Sports physiotherapy
Sports injury rehabilitation
Injury prevention
Athletic performance
Exercise prescription
Strength and conditioning
Return-to-sport rehabilitation
Exercise physiology
Sports biomechanics
Physical fitness
Athletic recovery

8. Exercise and Movement Sciences

Human movement science
Exercise science
Exercise physiology
Physical activity
Motor behavior
Motor learning
Motor control
Movement analysis
Functional movement
Physical performance
Exercise prescription
Health-related fitness

Human movement research may examine motor function throughout the lifespan, including physical activity, exercise, motor control, and rehabilitation of impaired movement.

9. Biomechanics and Kinesiology

Clinical biomechanics
Human biomechanics
Kinesiology
Gait analysis
Postural analysis
Movement analysis
Joint mechanics
Muscle mechanics
Ergonomics
Motion capture
Force-plate analysis
Wearable movement sensors

10. Pain and Pain Rehabilitation

Chronic pain
Acute pain
Musculoskeletal pain
Neuropathic pain
Pain neuroscience
Pain education
Exercise for pain management
Manual therapy and pain
Multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation
Pain-related disability
Pain and quality of life

11. Therapeutic Exercise

Therapeutic exercise
Resistance training
Aerobic exercise
Flexibility training
Balance exercise
Core stability
Neuromuscular exercise
Exercise dosage
Exercise adherence
Home-based exercise
Exercise-based rehabilitation

12. Manual Therapy and Physical Modalities

Manual therapy
Mobilization techniques
Manipulation
Soft-tissue techniques
Electrotherapy
Ultrasound therapy
Heat and cold therapy
Hydrotherapy
Therapeutic modalities
Comparative intervention studies

13. Rehabilitation Assessment and Outcome Measurement

Functional assessment
Clinical outcome measures
Patient-reported outcome measures
Performance-based measures
Disability assessment
Quality-of-life measures
Physical-function measurement
Psychometric evaluation
Reliability and validity
Minimal clinically important difference
Rehabilitation outcome prediction

14. Assistive Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering

Assistive devices
Prosthetics
Orthotics
Mobility aids
Rehabilitation robotics
Exoskeletons
Smart rehabilitation devices
Biomedical engineering
Adaptive technologies
Accessible rehabilitation technologies

15. Digital Health and Technology-Enabled Rehabilitation

The journal particularly welcomes research on emerging technologies that support assessment, treatment, monitoring, and rehabilitation, including:

Tele-rehabilitation
Digital physiotherapy
Mobile health applications
Wearable devices
Remote patient monitoring
Artificial intelligence
Machine learning
Virtual reality
Augmented reality
Robotics
Sensor-based rehabilitation
Digital therapeutic interventions

Technology-supported interventions and quantitative movement assessment are increasingly important areas of rehabilitation research.

16. Community and Public Health Rehabilitation

Community-based rehabilitation
Rehabilitation in primary healthcare
Disability prevention
Health promotion
Physical activity promotion
Community mobility
Population health
Rehabilitation accessibility
Health equity
Rural rehabilitation
Rehabilitation in low-resource settings

17. Disability and Functioning

Disability studies
Functional limitations
Activity limitations
Participation restrictions
Disability prevention
Functional independence
Accessibility
Inclusion
Rehabilitation and social participation
Disability and quality of life

18. Women's Health and Rehabilitation

Women's health physiotherapy
Pregnancy-related musculoskeletal disorders
Pelvic health
Pelvic-floor rehabilitation
Postpartum rehabilitation
Maternal physical activity
Osteoporosis and women's health
Women's sports rehabilitation
Menopausal health and exercise

19. Occupational and Functional Rehabilitation

Work rehabilitation
Occupational rehabilitation
Ergonomics
Workplace injury prevention
Return-to-work programs
Functional capacity evaluation
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders
Vocational rehabilitation
Occupational performance

20. Rehabilitation Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

Psychological factors in rehabilitation
Motivation
Exercise adherence
Self-efficacy
Behavioral change
Patient engagement
Fear avoidance
Coping with disability
Rehabilitation-related anxiety and depression
Psychosocial rehabilitation

21. Sports Science and Performance

Sports science
Exercise physiology
Sports biomechanics
Athletic conditioning
Performance analysis
Training adaptation
Recovery science
Injury surveillance
Athlete rehabilitation
Sports nutrition and performance

22. Rehabilitation Education

Physical therapy education
Rehabilitation education
Clinical education
Curriculum development
Competency-based education
Simulation-based learning
Teaching methodologies
Assessment of students
Digital learning
Professional development
Interprofessional education

23. Evidence-Based Practice and Research Methods

Evidence-based physiotherapy
Clinical practice guidelines
Systematic reviews
Meta-analysis
Clinical trials
Rehabilitation research methodology
Qualitative research
Mixed-method research
Implementation science
Knowledge translation
Research measurement and statistics

24. Rehabilitation Services, Policy and Management

Rehabilitation service delivery
Health services research
Rehabilitation policy
Healthcare management
Quality improvement
Patient safety
Cost-effectiveness
Health economics
Rehabilitation workforce
Access to rehabilitation
Models of rehabilitation care

25. Emerging and Interdisciplinary Areas

The journal welcomes interdisciplinary research involving:

Neuroscience and rehabilitation
Biomedical engineering
Sports medicine
Exercise medicine
Public health
Geriatric medicine
Orthopedics
Neurology
Psychology
Occupational therapy
Prosthetics and orthotics
Rehabilitation technology
Digital health
Artificial intelligence
Precision rehabilitation

Interdisciplinary Research

The Journal of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences strongly encourages research that integrates physical therapy and rehabilitation with neuroscience, biomechanics, exercise science, sports medicine, medicine, psychology, biomedical engineering, public health, occupational therapy, nutrition, and health technology.

Research combining movement analysis with clinical outcomes, rehabilitation interventions with behavioral science, or technology with patient-centered care is particularly encouraged. The journal aims to support research that translates scientific discoveries into practical improvements in rehabilitation and healthcare.

Research Quality and Ethical Standards

The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of scientific integrity, originality, methodological rigor, transparency, and ethical research.

Submitted manuscripts should clearly state the research problem, objectives or hypotheses, methodology, participant characteristics, intervention or exposure where applicable, outcome measures, statistical or qualitative analysis, and contribution to existing knowledge.

Research involving human participants should comply with applicable ethical standards, institutional requirements, informed-consent procedures, privacy protections, and relevant clinical research regulations. Clinical trials and intervention studies should provide appropriate registration and reporting information where applicable.

All manuscripts considered suitable for publication undergo a rigorous peer-review process by qualified reviewers. Manuscripts are evaluated for originality, scientific validity, methodological quality, clinical relevance, clarity, and ethical compliance.

The journal promotes responsible authorship, accurate reporting, appropriate citation, transparency of research methods, protection of participant confidentiality, and strict avoidance of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, and other forms of research misconduct.

Aim of the Journal

The principal aim of the Journal of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences is to strengthen the evidence base for physical therapy, rehabilitation, and movement sciences by promoting high-quality research that improves mobility, physical function, independence, participation, health, and quality of life.

By bringing together clinicians, researchers, educators, and professionals from related disciplines, the journal seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice and to encourage innovative, evidence-based, patient-centered, and accessible rehabilitation across the lifespan.