educating Bermudians on their changing and vital role in the community.

They do not just help people with sports and accident injuries, but a diverse range of movement-associated problems, said Ms Frances Copeland, executive of the 20-member Bermuda Physiotherapy Association.

Hundreds of office workers were now seeking help for the growing ailment of Repetitive Stress Syndrome, she said.

And more elderly folk -- in response to an ageing population -- were being helped to move around more easily and with less pain.

Their services were highlighted during Physiotherapy Month which ends on October 31.

Ms Copeland said Bermuda's "physios'' had moved into the arena of occupational health, preventative care and education of the community.

More office workers were seeking help for soreness in joints and muscles, such as stiff necks and bad backs from poor posture, and soreness in finger joints from continual typing, she said. And the best cure for the ailments was prevention.

"We have hundreds in therapy,'' she said. "Much depends on how quickly we get them. A lot of people don't know they have it (Repetitive Stress Syndrome) and wander why they have these problems.

"A stiff neck is a fact of life to some people -- they need to be aware that there are certain things that make it worse.'' She said the number of jobs in physiotherapy was expanding, with more Bermudians studying for careers in the field abroad.

They worked with sports injuries, in special schools, the business and industrial world, and in medical wards including the childrens', ICU, orthopaedic and maternity wards, and of course the out-patient clinic.

Physiotherapists did not use drugs in treating patients, she said, but relied on physical means such as heat, cold, light, electricity, manual therapy, massage and exercise.