Today, Hammerton works two days a week in private practice and spends the rest of her time as programme lead for physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University, where she helps train the next generation of physiotherapists.
Physiotherapy leaders fear that such resistance is even more deeply embedded after the coalition government's health reforms, sold as "putting doctors and nurses in the driving seat", and the overriding emphasis on nursing in the Francis reforms following the mid-Staffordshire hospitals scandal.
After all, physiotherapy has made significant advances in the recent past: since 1977, it has enjoyed clinical autonomy and been able to take direct patient referrals; in 2002, the first consultant physiotherapist was appointed; and in 2013, physiotherapists won independent prescribing rights.
In autumn, Copeland suffered a black-line fracture to her left shin during rehearsals and faced surgery followed by several weeks of physiotherapy.
Which is certainly a bit different from physiotherapy".
Hannah Jones gave up a physiotherapy career in paediatrics to look after her three children because of the challenges of juggling work and childcare costs.
Until she joined the CSP last year, she was the senior Department of Health official responsible for physiotherapy and other so-called allied health professions.
None of this seemed very amusing during the many months of painful physiotherapy that followed.
Mary's leg will be treated with painkillers and physiotherapy.
Hannah Jones is returning to physiotherapy after putting her career on hold to look after her three children.
But now Jones (41) who lives in Weybridge, Surrey, is returning to physiotherapy after the headteacher at the primary school where she works announced that he wanted a physiotherapist to bolster his special educational needs team.
