European Journal of Physiotherapy

European Journal of Physiotherapy
Title	European Journal of Physiotherapy
Discipline	Physiotherapy
Abbreviation	Eur. J. Physiother.

European Journal of Physiotherapy is a peer-reviewed medical journal publishing research on clinical practice, rehabilitation, and therapeutic interventions. The journal serves practitioners, researchers, and educators across Europe and beyond, engaging readers from hospitals, universities, and professional associations. It intersects with policy-making bodies, research councils, and international organizations that shape health services and professional standards.

History

The journal was established amid broader developments in postwar professionalization of allied health, paralleling institutions such as World Health Organization, European Union, Council of Europe, International Labour Organization, and national academies like the Royal Society and Académie Nationale de Médecine. Early editorial directions reflected contemporaneous debates involving figures and institutions connected to World Confederation for Physical Therapy, International Council of Nurses, European Respiratory Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, and university departments at University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Heidelberg University, Karolinska Institutet, and University of Amsterdam. Over time the journal mirrored shifts visible in major conferences and congresses such as meetings organized by European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, World Congress of Physiotherapy, European College of Sports Science, International Society of Biomechanics, and symposia hosted at venues like ExCeL London and Palais des Congrès de Paris.

Editorial leadership and publisher changes were influenced by trends in academic publishing represented by houses like Elsevier, Springer Science+Business Media, Taylor & Francis, Wiley-Blackwell, and SAGE Publications. The journal’s trajectory reflects intersections with funding agencies including the European Research Council, Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, National Institutes of Health, and national research councils such as the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and UK Research and Innovation.

Scope and Content

The journal covers randomized trials, systematic reviews, clinical guidelines, case series, and translational studies relevant to musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary, and geriatric care, drawing on methodologies linked to institutions like Cochrane Collaboration, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and professional regulators such as the Health and Care Professions Council and European Medicines Agency. Research topics include manual therapy, exercise prescription, electrotherapy, gait analysis, balance training, and outcome measurement instruments associated with groups like International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, American College of Sports Medicine, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, and rehabilitation programs featured at centers such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière.

Content often cites landmark trials and influential guidelines from organizations like American Heart Association, American College of Physicians, European Society of Cardiology, World Stroke Organization, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, International Diabetes Federation, and specialist societies including European Federation of Neurological Societies and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

Editorial Organization and Peer Review

Governance typically includes an editor-in-chief supported by an editorial board drawn from universities and hospitals such as King's College London, University College London, University of Copenhagen, University of Barcelona, and Trinity College Dublin. Peer review processes align with standards advanced by bodies like Committee on Publication Ethics, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, Crossref, ORCID, and indexing services managed by Clarivate Analytics and Scopus/Elsevier workflows. Ethical oversight engages institutional review boards and research ethics committees at institutions such as Addenbrooke's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, and Rikshospitalet.

The editorial office interacts with learned societies and professional associations including European Physiotherapy Network, British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, and regional academies such as Academy of Medical Sciences.

Abstracting and Indexing

Abstracting and indexing historically connect the journal to major databases and services including MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and repositories aligned with PubMed Central, DOAJ, and national libraries like the British Library and Bibliothèque nationale de France. These linkages facilitate discoverability alongside citation tracking provided by Journal Citation Reports and scholarly networking via platforms such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and identifier systems like DOI and ORCID.

Publication Frequency and Format

Publication frequency has varied with demand and publishing model, ranging from quarterly to bimonthly schedules in print and online formats. The journal has adapted to hybrid and open access models promoted by funders such as Wellcome Trust and mandates from programs like Plan S and Horizon Europe. Production workflows mirror practices at commercial and society presses employing digital platforms originating from companies like HighWire Press, Informa, Wiley Online Library, and content delivery via aggregators such as EBSCO and ProQuest.

Impact and Reception

The journal's impact is reflected in citation metrics tracked by Clarivate Analytics and scholarly influence among clinicians and educators affiliated with institutions such as World Health Organization, European Commission, NHS England, Robert Koch Institute, and university departments at McGill University, University of Toronto, Monash University, and Università degli Studi di Milano. Reception in the professional community is shaped by responses from specialty societies including European Society for Swallowing Disorders, International Neurological Rehabilitation Research Group, Society for Neuroscience, and patient advocacy organizations like European Patients' Forum and Age UK. The journal contributes to guideline development, curriculum design at institutions such as University of Glasgow, Newcastle University, and health policy dialogues in bodies like World Bank and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Category:Medical journals