Prevalence of burnout in physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic: systematic review and meta-analysis

This study aimed to obtain a pooled estimate of the prevalence of burnout in physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore differences between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). A systematic search was conducted on six databases, from December 2019 to June 2026. Two reviewers independently extracted data from the included studies and assessed the risk of bias using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The pooled prevalence was calculated through meta-analysis of proportions with 95% confidence interval (CI). Prevalence of overall burnout and of its three dimensions of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and reduced personal accomplishment (PA) was estimated. A total of 23 studies was included and 19 was used for meta-analyses. Pooled prevalence (95% CI) estimate of 18% (9–35), higher than usually observed pre-COVID. The pooled prevalence of the three MBI components was: EE, 46% (35–57); DP, 46% (21–73), and low PA, 34% (13–64), and tended to be higher in LMICs, although the difference between LMICs and HICs were statistically significant only for EE. The findings indicate a substantial prevalence of burnout among physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, substantial heterogeneity and differences in burnout definitions across studies should be considered when interpreting these estimates. To prevent burnout, special attention should be given to healthcare professionals’ wellbeing during exceptional events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic review registration PROSPERO , CRD420251029422.