Fisioterapia Forense

conhecimento e percepção de fisioterapeutas e advogados da Cidade de Joinville/SC

Abstract

The physiotherapist, an expert in body kinetic analysis, plays a pivotal role in the legal context, where loss of movement can lead to compensations, often related to occupational disability and security issues. This reflects in social security benefits, labor lawsuits, life insurances, and various legal spheres, underscoring the relevance of kinesiological knowledge to substantiate these cases. Forensic Physiotherapy, an emerging field, aims to assist in resolving legal issues involving human health and functionality, still relatively unknown and unexplored by professionals in the field. Objective: Identify knowledge and perception about forensic physiotherapy among physiotherapists and lawyers in the city of Joinville, Santa Catarina. Method: Exploratory and descriptive research, with cross-sectional and quanti qualitative analysis. Online data collection from 01/06/2023 to 14/07/2023, via Google Forms (n = 44). Results: The study encompassed (47.7%) physiotherapists and (52.3%) lawyers; (90.9%) never used/provided Forensic Physiotherapy services; (71.4%) of Physiotherapists are familiar with the field, while (60.9%) of Lawyers are unaware; (79.5%) expressed interest in delving deeper into the subject. Conclusion: Predominance of unfamiliarity with Forensic Physiotherapy, with divergence between categories, particularly lesser understanding among Lawyers. Low sample representativeness is evident, emphasizing the need for future research to enrich the scarce literature in this field. Keywords: Physiotherapy; Forensic; Expert Report; Occupational.