Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.
They maintain health for people of all ages, helping patients to manage pain and prevent disease.
The profession helps to encourage development and facilitate recovery, enabling people to stay in work while helping them remain independent for as long as possible.
Physiotherapy services are provided to develop, keep, and recover maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. This involves offering services in situations where movement and function are jeopardized due to ageing, injury, diseases, disorders, conditions, or environmental factors. Functional movement is fundamental to what it means to be healthy.
Physiotherapy is concerned with finding and optimizing quality of life and movement potential in the areas of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation, and rehabilitation. This includes physical, psychological, emotional, and societal well-being. Physical therapy includes the interaction of physical therapists, patients/clients, other health professionals, families, carers, and communities in a process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon using knowledge and skills specific to physical therapists.
Physiotherapists can assist patients in the following procedures.
- Conduct a thorough examination/assessment of the patient/client or the requirements of a client group.
- Evaluate the examination/assessment results in order to make clinical decisions about patients/clients.
- Create a diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment strategy.
- Consult within their area of expertise and decide when patients/clients should be referred to another healthcare professional.
- Put in place a physical therapy intervention/treatment plan.
- Determine the results of any interventions or therapies.
- Offer suggestions for self-management.
Physiotherapy Procedures
Physiotherapy can help patients who have had amputations, spine strains, arthritis, or who have had any type of medical procedure recover faster.
Physiotherapy commonly involves the following treatments:
Electrotherapy
It is a type of energy-based physiotherapy method that uses electrodes attached to the skin to administer electrical stimulation. Electrotherapy is used in patients who have paralysis and an extremely limited range of motion.
Exercising Your Range of Movements
During the early stages of recovery from surgery or bone injuries, the body requires sufficient rest, but prolonged immobility may actually lengthen the healing process. As a result, range of motion activities are prescribed to promote movement, joint mobility, and circulation. It also helps to avoid muscle atrophy and associated postural issues.
Heat Treatment and Cryotherapy
Professional athletes and people who work at a computer frequently gripe about sore and stiff muscles. In such cases, applying heat or cold to the affected regions can relieve muscle tension anywhere on the body. Hot packs or paraffin wax are used in heat treatment. Cryotherapy may include an icy massage or the use of an ice pack.
Mobilization of Solid Tissue
It is also known as therapeutic massage and can aid in muscle relaxation and the reduction of swelling in specific regions. Soft tissue mobilization is an excellent method for treating pain from athletic injuries. It also aids in maintaining proper blood circulation, lymph movement, and reducing swelling around inflamed joints.
Taping Kinesiology
A Kinesis tape is applied to the skin to stabilize the joints and muscles while the patient receives treatment in this physiotherapy procedure. Furthermore, the Kinesio tape does not restrict movement during range of motion workouts.
Ultrasonic Therapy
It is the use of sound waves to heal injuries in the body. The sound waves are absorbed by ligaments, tendons, and fascia and can help people with arthritis, muscular strains, and tendonitis.
FAQ
Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, is a healthcare profession that uses physical methods such as exercise, manual therapy, and electrotherapy to help patients recover from injury or manage chronic conditions. Physiotherapists work with patients of all ages to improve their physical function, mobility, and overall quality of life.
You should see a physiotherapist if you are experiencing pain or discomfort due to an injury or chronic condition, or if you are experiencing difficulty with movement or function. Common reasons to see a physiotherapist include back and neck pain, sports injuries, arthritis, stroke, and post-surgical rehabilitation. Physiotherapy can also help with prevention of injuries and promotion of physical fitness.
During a visit to a physiotherapist, you will undergo a physical examination to assess your mobility, strength, and range of motion. The physiotherapist will also ask you questions about your medical history and lifestyle to help identify the problem. Based on the assessment, the physiotherapist will develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include exercises, manual therapy, and other physical modalities. The physiotherapist will also provide education on how to prevent future injury or manage the condition on an ongoing basis. Treatment may require multiple visits to achieve the desired outcome.