How Tomás Teixeira redefines physiotherapy through independence and movement

His different vision and philosophy based on movement, mobility and independence have made him very successful in his field. Since he opened his office, AttivFisio, in Guia, he has built a strong reputation with numerous positive reviews. With the growing demand for physiotherapy sessions due to pain and musculoskeletal problems, which Tomas is an expert in, his services are more than needed.

He has owned a studio since 2019, but since last year, he has been working exclusively for himself at AttivFisio. Previously, he worked in his studio but also in other clinics part-time.

Local Roots, Global Skills

Tomás is originally from Guia and from a young age, he knew he wanted to work in healthcare. Tomás was also very passionate about sports, and it was his PE teacher who suggested he might try physiotherapy as a future career. He studied at college in Silves, which had a strong practical focus, and he completed internships at several clinical establishments. There, he gained a lot of valuable experience, which helped him to understand how and where he wanted to work in the future. His first internship was in a clinic in Lisbon, followed by one at a hospital in Portimão. He got his first job offer while he was still a student, from a football club in Armação de Pêra. He worked with the team for three seasons, and it was a challenging time to balance college with the demanding schedule of training sessions and weekend tournaments. Later, he also collaborated with a football team in Olhão and a basketball team in Albufeira. For a long time, he worked with the Algarve Pain Centre in Vilamoura. This helped him connect with other healthcare professionals.

A Different Philosophy of Care

The focus of Tomás’s work is evidence-based practice in musculoskeletal injuries and post-surgery rehabilitation. What makes his approach unique is his philosophy: he does not want patients to rely on him forever.

“I do not want to see my practice as a business but as the best way to help my clients. At the beginning, yes, my clients may come once a week, but during my sessions, I try to create independence and show them a guideline for their own health journey. I always work with patients, not for patients. I think it is very important for my clients to become self-sufficient in managing their own bodies and to understand how to manage their symptoms in the best way possible. I believe physiotherapy will change a lot in the next years, with more people realizing that moving and exercising daily is very important for both physical and mental health.”

A New Way of Thinking About Pain

I asked Tomás what his recommendation for people with chronic pain is. “I do not really like the expression chronic pain. It is just pain that takes more time to go away. Chronic is a really negative label which I do not use in my practice. Of course, there are exceptions but for the general population, there is a need to change the term ‘chronic’. Many times, people with long-term pain become more fragile and afraid of certain movements, when in fact those movements are necessary for recovery.”

“Let’s say somebody comes to my office and complains about long-term back pain. He does not want to do any exercise which includes bending because he thinks it will make his condition worse. But the opposite is true. For a person with lower back pain, it is important to gradually and progressively start bending and expose themselves to this type of movement daily. Of course, everything needs to be discussed and guided by a physiotherapist.”

To support this, Tomás designs individualized plans with specific exercises. Clients record their pain levels and experiences, helping him adjust the plan as needed. Although it may be uncomfortable at first, consistent practice brings improvement. In the beginning, a client may visit weekly, but eventually sessions become monthly—and soon the client can continue independently without supervision.

Movement Snacks

Nowadays, with more people working remotely or spending a lot of time at their desks, I asked Tomás how people can avoid muscular pain.

“I strongly recommend ‘movement snacks’. If you work from home or in an office, every time you have a snack, try to move around, do some stretching, and reset your posture. You can also keep your water away from your desk, so you are forced to get up. And don’t forget to drink at least two litres of water a day!

In the future, Tomas hopes to expand AttivFisio and bring in colleagues with the same vision as he has.

Family life

Tomás has a 3-year-old daughter, and he always tries to spend time after work with her and his wife. As Tomás is a local from the Algarve, I asked him for some recommendations of his favourite spots. “Our favourite beach is Salgados, it is close to our house and it is a great place to relax. For Portuguese food, we like to go to the restaurant Mato a Vista in Paderne or São Domingos in Guia, just next to my office. We also love Italian cuisine, and our favourite spot is Pizzeria Casa Vostra in Almancil.”