Prevention, cure and rehabilitation for motor skills, higher cortical functions and visceral motor functions: In the health care domain, the physical therapist is essential to recover our abilities.

But what hides behind physical therapy?

I will now give the floor to Francesca Razzino, an experienced physical therapist.

Who is Francesca Razzino?

A woman who has gathered a lot of experience, both in her work life and in her private life.

You have been a physical therapist for many years. Could you tell us what made you choose this job in the first place?

I actually wanted to be a doctor at first. But then my father dissuaded me and I ended up enrolling at the faculty of Psychology in Rome. I quit after a year due to family reasons and psychological problems and I started attending the institute of physical therapy, so that I could continue my studies in the health care domain.

How long does a session of physical therapy last?

It depends on the pathology, but a session with a thorough therapist normally lasts about an hour.

And how much does it cost?

30€ for each session is a good compromise – the work of the professional is not depreciated and the price is affordable for the patients.

What skills are necessary to a physical therapist?

Having a bent for helping those who are suffering, being immensely altruistic but at the same time capable of not getting too involved from an emotional point of view.

What is it that distinguishes a good physical therapist from a bad one?

If a physical therapist does everything I have listed, then he already is a good therapist.

So, who cannot be a physical therapist?

Anyone who is shallow enough to choose this job just for the profits it guarantees.

What has been the hardest moment you have had to face during your career?

My first day of internship in hospital. It took me almost a week at home to recover and elaborate everything I saw there, without eating or going out.

How much does a patient need to trust their physical therapist?

Trust is extremely important in any kind of profession, but it becomes absolutely pivotal to my job and to any other job belonging to the health care domain.

Is there an episode in particular that made you think this was the right path for you, an episode that keeps you going?

There is not a single episode that keeps me going. I am glad if a person recovers fully or just a little bit, or even if they do not recover, but still share a couple of minutes of their time with me with a smile on their face. That is what keeps me going.

What hides behind physical therapy?

Many suffering people but unfortunately many frauds, too.

What does living mean to you?

Observing, listening, feeling, understanding and smiling.

Francesca Razzino lives in Salerno, Italy.