South African Journal of Physiotherapy

Aims & Scope

The South African Journal of Physiotherapy is the official scholarly refereed journal of the South African Society of Physiotherapy.

It aims to publish original research and facilitate continuing professional development for physiotherapists and other health professions both nationally and internationally.

The South African Journal of Physiotherapy is dedicated to the advancement of physiotherapy through publication of research and scholarly work concerned with, but not limited to, its scientific basis and clinical application, education of practitioners, management of services and policy.

We welcome original research and reviews covering diverse topics in the field of physiotherapy.

Topics of interest include: Advances in physiotherapy related to anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, human biology, physics, biomechanics, kinesiology, neuroscience, clinical pathology and behavourial science.

Prevention, screening, evaluation, diagnosis and prognosis.

Ethics, plan of care, intervention techniques, and cultural approaches to achieving goals and outcomes.

Metrics & Ranking

Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
• Web of Science

Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Health Professions, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

Licensing & Copyright

This journal operates under an Open Access model. Articles are freely accessible to the public immediately upon publication. The content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing users to share and adapt the work with proper attribution.

Copyright remains with the author(s), and no permission is required for non-commercial use, provided the original source is cited.

Policy Links

This section provides access to essential policy documents, guidelines, and resources related to the journal’s publication and submission processes.

• Aims scope
• Homepage
• Oa statement
• Author instructions
• License terms
• Review url
• Board url
• Copyright url
• Plagiarism url
• Preservation url
• Apc url
• License

Plagiarism Policy

This journal follows a plagiarism policy. All submitted manuscripts are screened using reliable plagiarism detection software to ensure originality and academic integrity. Authors are responsible for proper citation and acknowledgment of all sources, and any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, will not be tolerated.

For more details, please refer to our official: Plagiarism Policy.

APC Details

The journal’s Article Processing Charge (APC) policies support open access publishing in Health Professions, ensuring accessibility and quality in research dissemination.

This journal requires an Article Processing Charge (APC) to support open access publishing, covering peer review, editing, and distribution. The current APC is 11,424.00 ZAR. Learn more.

Explore journals without APCs for alternative publishing options.

Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Effectiveness of exercise in office workers with neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

  Citation: 61

  Authors: Shereen, Shale, Lorisha, Lyle, Daniele, Yolandi

• The effectiveness of Schroth exercises in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

  Citation: 56

  Authors: Marlette, Wilna, Lenka Z., Larissa, Francois, Elzanne, Chante, Nicol

• Pain neuroscience education: Which pain neuroscience education metaphor worked best?

  Citation: 43

  Authors: Adriaan, Emilio J., Ina, Kory J., Terry

• Challenges experienced by mothers caring for children with cerebral palsy in Zambia

  Citation: 38

  Authors: Carol, Margaret, Anthea

• Post-tuberculosis health-related quality of life, lung function and exercise capacity in a cured pulmonary tuberculosis population in the Breede Valley District, South Africa

  Citation: 29

  Authors: Kurt J., Elvis, Hamilton, Susan

• Physical activity in physiotherapy students: Levels of physical activity and perceived benefits and barriers to exercise

  Citation: 27

  Authors: Diana, Romy

• Levels of physical activity in people with chronic pain

  Citation: 27

  Authors: Romy, Emma, Anelisiwe, Shannon, Matthew

• Quality of life and physical activity among older adults living in institutions compared to the community

  Citation: 27

  Authors: Lesego M., Quinette A., Muziwakhe D.

• Preoperative education for lumbar surgery for radiculopathy

  Citation: 25

  Authors: A., Q, L.

• Airway clearance therapy in acute paediatric respiratory illness: A state-of-the-art review

  Citation: 23

  Authors: Brenda M.