DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY?

Introduction

Physiotherapy  also known as physical therapy is a method of treatment inorder to restore movement when someone is affected by injury,illness and  disability.

It mainly aims to ease pain and helps you to function,move,and live your life better and pain free and keeps you physically fit.

Who are physiotherapists?

• The person who practices physiotherapy is called a physiotherapist or a physical therapist. They can be called 'physio'in short.They are allied healthcare professionals.

How do they work?

They treat patients through manual therapy technics,electro therapy ,shockwave modalities, exercises,joint mobility technics etc.They do not use medecine or perform surgery as a part of their treatment.

They usually follow four simple steps : 

Initial Assessment

 First of  all,the physiotherapist conducts some tests which mainly includes range of motion of the joints, evaluation of posture,muscle and joint movement, flexibility and performance.

Diagnosis

Secondly, after the testing procedure is completed they provide a clinical diagnosis after discussing the objectives they give you a prognosis.

Treatment

Thirdly,after proper diagnosis they set a treatment plan for you and treat you on regular basis which may be extended for a week,months or longer depending upon your medical issue.

Self Management

And lastly,after they have set a proper treatment plan for you they also will provide you a rehab program regarding exercises which you need to do by yourself which will aid to  your recovery process faster.

Which kind of patients do they treat?

• They treat patients suffering from acute pain or chronic pain, tissue injury,cartilage damage, arthritis,gait disorders,joint impairments and they deal with musculoskeletal disorders,cardio pulmonary disorders, neurological problems,endocrinological cases etc.

• If you have any problem with normal movement or mobility you should see a physiotherapist.

• Some of the common cases physiotherapists  deal with is neck pain,low back pain, arthritis etc.

What are different types of physical therapy?

There are mainly six types 

• Pediatric physical therapy.

• Orthopaedic physical therapy.

• Cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy.

• Geriatric physical therapy.

• Neurological physical therapy.

• Vestibular rehabilitation.

List of  cases handled by physical therapists

Some of the cases are mentioned below:

• Neck pain.

• Low back pain.

• Paralysis.

• Stroke.

• Fracture.

• Frozen shoulder.

• Arthiritis.

• Sports injury.

• Muscular dystrophy.

• Limited range of motion.

• Paralysis.

• Osteoporosis.

• Vertigo.

• Headache.

• Carpel tunnel syndrome.

• Chronic fatigue syndrome.

• Respiratory issues.

• Burns.

• Joint replacement.

• Parkinson's disease.

• Ankle sprain.

• Huntington's disease.

• Knee ligament injury.

• Pelvic floor dysfunction.

• Cancer.

*Note : There are many other cases only few are mentioned above.                              

What is the importance of physiotherapy?

A physiotherapist is a medical professional who has the knowledge about body mechanics.If there is  any problem in the movementof  your body they can identify the root cause of it and work on the treatment process.

They have a huge role to play in both  pre-surgery as well as post-surgery.

They work on specific areas after injury, if there is any weakness and they work on strengthening process post-surgery.

Since they have a knowledge about your limitations after a surgical procedure,they carefully work on that and help you to get a successful result and recover soon.

So by consulting  a physiotherapist you can get rid of your ailments and lead a normal healthy life.

What are the benefits of physiotherapy?

Reduce or eliminate pain.

Therapeutic exercise or manual therapy techniques such as joint and soft tissue mobilization or treatments such as ultrasounic therapy(UST),laser therapy, hydrotherapy , tapping and different electric stimulations can reduce pain and restore muscle function.These therapy techniques can also prevent further occurance of pain.

Avoid surgery.

If physiotherapy helps you to eliminate pain why go for a surgery?but in case  surgery is  adviced you may benefit from pre-sugery physiotherapy as well as post- surgery physiotherapy.

Improve Mobility.

If you are having trouble standing,walking or moving, no matter your age physiotherapy can help you.They will give you certain exercises like  active range of motion exercises (AROM),passive range of motion exercises (PROM) etc. 

Recovery or prevent sports injury.

The sports physiotherapist develops a training session before the player participates in his or her respective sports to decrease the chance of injury and in case  any sports injury such as sprain,soft tissue injury,joint dislocation etc occurs it is treated accordingly.

Improve balance.

When you begin your physiotherapy program you will be assessed properly for the level of balance or any suspected injury.They will strictly give you exercises which is safe for you to practice,they will make you do exercises to improve your coordination and  help you to recover soon and bring back to your normal condition.Balancing exercises mainly focus on your core muscles,lower back and legs. Balancing exercises though are different for different age groups.

Manage Age Related Issues

As per individuals age,they may develop arthritis, osteoporosis, or need a joint replacement,physiotherapists are experts in helping patients recover from joint replacement issues,arthiritc and osteoporotic conditions conservatively.

Before planning an exercise for osteoporotic patients physiotherapists check their range of motion , joint stability, muscle strength etc and program a safe exercise plan,for example brisk walking, climbing stairs,hiking, jogging, jumping rope etc.

And for arthiritis walking, cycling,pilates,water exercise etc helps in soon recovery.

Manage  heart and lung disease

After a heart attack, a person receive physiotherapy  if your daily functioning is affected.For cardio pulmonary problems  physiotherapy can improve quality of life through strengthening, conditioning and breathing exercises, and help patients clear excessive  fluid in the lungs.

Cardio pulmonary physiotherapists have a huge role in treating patients with:

• Asthma 

• Bronchitis

• Hypertension

• Congestive Cardiac Failure(CCF)

• Respiratory Infections

• Cardiac Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD)

• Emphysema

• Heart Attack (MI)

Depending on your condition, your physiotherapy treatment may include:

• Deep Breathing Exercise: to encourage increased lung volumes.

• Hands-on Techniques and Breathing Facilitation Exercises: to expand your lung capacity.

• Percussions and Vibrations: to help you loosen secretions and make coughing easier.

• Coughing and Breathing Strategies: to help you cough and manage your shortness of breath.

• Breathing and Circulation Exercises: to prevent further respiratory and vascular complications such as chest infection and deep venous thrombosis (DVTs).

• Mobility Assistance: to move safely in bed, sit up, stand and walk.

• Mobility Aids: advice, prescription and instruction on how to safely use a walking frame, or other walking aids as required.

• Individually Tailored Exercises: to control your breathing pattern, build muscle strength and endurance and improve your general health and wellbeing.

Manage Women's Health and Other Conditions

Women have specific health concerns, such as with pregnancy and post-partum care. Physical therapists can offer specialized management of issues related to women’s health.Additionally physiotherapist can provide specialized treatment for

Bowel incontinence, breast cancer, constipation, fibromyalgia, lymphedema, female pelvic health, pelvic pain, and urinary incontinence.

Several sphincter exercises are advised by physiotherapists.

Physiotherapists can also work with pregnant women to help them prepare their bodies for pregnancy including and ensuring the body is aligned and ready to carry a baby.Physiotherapy in pregnancy can also teach how to correctly perform kegel's exercises, which will help strengthen the pelvic floor in preparation for child birth.

Kegel's exercises consists of  repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles of the pelvic floor.

Conclusion

So readers, i have  explained what is Physiotherapy,it's role in our society how Physiotherapy works and heals all your pain, injury , ailments , disabilities etc.

If you liked my content or have any queries please mention below in the comment section.

Stay healthy stay safe.

Thank you.

The Healer Physio Team.