The work of physiotherapy jobs should extend beyond specific rehabilitation and into promoting healthy lifestyles, a leading figure in physiotherapy research has said.

Speaking at the Physiotherapy Conference in New Zealand, Professor Elizabeth Dean from the University of British Columbia said that physiotherapists across the world could combine their advice on exercise with lifestyle changes.

In her keynote speech, Professor Dean said that one of the best ways to reduce the risk of disease was also one of the best ways to reduce injury rates. By getting people to focus on their lifestyles - their diets and their levels of exercise each week - healthcare professionals could help patients make lasting changes that would improve their quality of life and reduce pressure on services.

She added that when someone visits a physiotherapist for physical conditions such as an injured knee, a frozen shoulder or back problems, there was an opportunity to discuss other health problems such as blood pressure or obesity.

The habitual exercises of physiotherapy could be a perfect means of discussing other lifestyle changes, which could also help solve problems with physical health. Weight loss, for example, can help those suffering from joint or back problems. Encouraging people to stop unhealthy habits such as smoking can also be of benefit to physical recovery, as research has linked smoking with reduced blood flow and longer recovery times when injured.