When will AI replace physios?
AI will never replace the human touch in physiotherapy, but by taking over tasks like admin, progress tracking and exercise programming it frees clinicians to focus on diagnosis, treatment and patient relationships, making the best physios those who are AI-assisted rather than AI-replaced.
Let’s be honest—AI isn’t taking over physiotherapy anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore its potential. Instead of seeing AI as a threat, we should be asking: How can it make us better clinicians?
In day-to-day practice, the human touch still reigns supreme. Assessing movement, diagnosing complex conditions, providing hands-on treatment, and adapting to patient emotions—these are things that AI just can’t replicate (yet). Our ability to pick up on subtle cues, adjust exercises in real-time, and build genuine trust with our patients remains one of our biggest strengths. But if we’re talking about automating admin, tracking patient progress, or crunching rehab data, AI is miles ahead.
Where AI Shines (And Where It Falls Short)
We’ve all been there—endless paperwork, tedious progress tracking, or trying to decipher barely legible patient notes (including our own!). AI can handle these tasks effortlessly. It can streamline scheduling, suggest missing clinical tests, provide personalised exercise programs, and track adherence with precision. This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about freeing us up to focus on what actually matters: patient care.
But let’s be clear: AI can’t replace our clinical reasoning, hands-on treatment skills, or emotional intelligence. It won’t notice the hesitation in a patient’s voice when they say they’re “doing fine.” It won’t adapt an exercise based on the subtle way someone shifts their weight. And it certainly won’t build rapport the way an experienced physio can.
The Best Physios are AI-Assisted
Here’s the reality: most of what we do is best done by us, but a lot of it could be done better if AI had our backs. Imagine AI flagging potential concerns before they become a problem, tracking progress so we don’t have to rely on memory, or generating instant rehab programs based on real-world data.
Preve is already doing this and much more.
The physios who embrace AI will be the ones who thrive—delivering more effective treatment, better patient engagement, and ultimately, superior results.
The future isn’t AI replacing physios; it’s AI-empowered physios outperforming everyone else.