The regulator of physiotherapy in Aotearoa New Zealand – the Physiotherapy Board – has condemned a sports commentator’s sexualising of a physiotherapist during the recent All Blacks-England rugby test.

The Alternative Commentary Collective’s “hand job” social media comment enables real-world harm, says Board Chair David Baxter, “This is a profession in which trust and respect are fundamental to achieving treatment outcomes for patients.

“As with any medical profession that involves touch and work within people’s personal space, there must be mutual understanding of professional boundaries – this kind of commentary undermines that understanding and makes medical professionals’ work more difficult.

“While the media outlet in question has deleted this post, the Board would like to see them apologise and explain to their audience why it is inappropriate to sexualise a professional medical interaction.

“Physiotherapists and many other medical professionals do what they do because they want to help people and contribute to their wellbeing.

“This is made much more difficult, disheartening, and potentially dangerous, when patients sometimes mistake medical interactions for intimacy. Commentary such as we have seen from this media outlet makes that more likely.

“This kind of retrograde commentary undermines professional medical practice and degrades health professionals, especially women.

“The remedy for this is an apology and some public reflection from Sky Sport and Radio Hauraki on how playing to this kind of outlook makes life harder for health professionals and for their patients.

“The Board encourages physiotherapists and the public to register their disapproval of this commentary with the broadcasters.”