What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a science.
Physiotherapy is a science that aims to help people restore movement and function. Physical therapy can help someone recover from injuries, trauma, illness or any other disability that is related to pain or restrictions in daily life activities..
Physical therapy is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain or restore the wellbeign through examination, diagnosis, prognosis, patient education, physiotherapeutic intervention, rehabilitation, disease prevention and health promotion.
Why do I need physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, helps someone to stay in work while helping them remain independent and takes a “whole person” approach to health and euphoria in their general lifestyle.
The main goal of a physiotherapist is to help the patient to manage the pain, prevents diseases and restore the health and fitness.
Physiotherapy is a degree-based health-care profession.Physiotherapists use their knowledge and skills to improve dysfunctions related with different systems of the body. Physiotherapists can specialise in several different areas, ingluding sports medicine, children’s health, women’s health and within these parameters there are four main fields of practice:
Cardiorespiratory or cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular fields of physiotherapy deals with conditions related to the lungs, the heart, and all the circulatory system, especially bronchiall asthma, pneumothorax, chronic obstructive lungs disease etc
Musculoskeletal fields of physiotherapyndeals with injuries related to bones, joints and muscles. This field is also known as orthopedic.
Neurology fields of physiotherapy deals with rehabilitation of patients recovering from neurological disorders such as stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sklerosis, brain surgery etc.
Pediatric rehabilitation concerns neurological disabilities like cerebral palsy, syndromes, autism mulfunctions and other simillar dysfunctions.
What does a physiotherapist do?
A physiotherapist is a healthcare professional who works with patients with all types of dysfunctions or limitations.
A physiotherapist, or physical therapist, works with patients to help them reduse pain, manage mobility, induce balance and function in normal motor patterns.
Physical therapists are trained to develop customized programs to restore as much as possible the functional ability and movement of the patients, at all stages of life, in any age.
Physiotherapists, in clinical practice, involve patients in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and partcipation in their treatment.
In addition physical therapist practice include research, education and health management. Physical therapy is provided as a primary care treatment or in combination with other medical services.
What to expect at the physiotherapist?
Physiotherapeutic techniques are holistic approaches to treat not only the physical aspects of the patient’s life but the emotional, psycological, and social part of their life. In addition the physiotherapist encourage the patient to take part in their own care.
Most of us at some point of our life might have already, or we will visit a physiotherapist. The most common reasons in general are car accident, sports accidents, surgery, low back pain, cervical pain, stroke etc.
The main goal of a physical therapist is to improve patient’s motion, health and quality of life. They work at all stages of healthcare. They treat, provide intervention, educate, rehabilitate, prevent relapses.
The first time that the patient meets the physiotherapist a detailed history of their dysfunction is recorded. The patient discusses with the profession all their problems.
Then follows an evaluation of their mussles, their muscular system, their mussle tone, their joints, their respiratory and vuscular system and everything that gives the necessary information about their health.
After all that, the physiotherapist orgazises the unique and personilized program, to achieve all the goals that he has set.
How does physiotherapy works?
Physiotherapy as a health care profession assists people to restore, improve, maintain their function and prevent recurrences of their dysfunctions.They often work in team with other health professionals to help a patient improve their motion and health.
Physiotherapists as health-care practicioners, have in-depth knowledge of how the human body works. Physiotherapy practitioners spesialized on techniques and approaches to diagnose, treat, cure patient’s disabilities.
The most common techkniques are
Kinesiotherapy improves movement and function to a patient almost in any case. Beign active is the brain’s cure.
Electrotherapy
Ultra sound therapy
Tape therapy
Traction
Accupunture therapy
Mirror therapy for hemiplegic patients
Cold and hot patches
Soft splints therapy Soft tissue mobilization also known as therapeutic massageC.I.M.T. therapy-constrained induced movement therapy for hemiplegic patients
The most familiar approaches in rehabilitation are:
NDT – neurodevelopmental treatment concerns patients in any age who has central or peripheral nervous system disorders and is based on normal development
PNF – proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation concerns patients who suffer from CNS and PNS dysfunctions. This approach is better for patients who can respond to a command
S.I. – sensory integration therapy concerns children and adults who deal with brain’s receiving and processing sensory information disorders. These difficulties are autism, ADHD, psycomotor dysfunctions and other simillar disabilities
Osteopathy which is an holistic and integrated approach and concerns almost every disability in the orthopedic field
OMT – orthopedic manipulative therapy concerns people with orthopedic dysfunctions
VMT – Visceral manipulation therapy cures problems in visceral which is believed that are related with many orthopedic and neurokinetic dysfunctions.
CST – craniosacral therapy release is about the craniosacral rhythm and it concerns neuromuscular and orthopedic disorders even from birth.
Physiotherapy can help us become stronger and more flexible, indipendent, flexible and stay active.
Physiotherapists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, private clinics, schools, child development centres, public health units, sports clinics, universities etc
When do I need physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is for anyone in any age that needs help to move, function, feels any pain, can’t be active in normal motor patterns.
Physiotherapy can prevent injuries and helps through physical rehabilitation health and fitness and is an excellent ally in rehabilitation.
In conclusion anyone having problems moving, functioning, beign active or beign healthy in general, may need physiotherapy even from birth.
More specifically if there is
cardiorespiratory dysfunction such as heart diseases, heart attack etc
neurological disability such as stroke, Parkinson’s, multiple sklerosis, dementia, brain injuries and other simillar neurodisfunctions
mobility problems such as sports injuries, back pain, cervical’s spine pain etc
syndrome
trauma
skoliosis
spinal cord’s dysfunction
and other simillar problems, the patient needs physiotherapy.
The aim of physiotherapeutic intervention is to facilitate people to achieve their goals in levels where physiotherapy is no longer needed.
How often sould I get Physiotherapy?
The rehabilitation program depends of the condition of the patient, the dysfunction, the muscular system and everything that concerns the problem itself.
In neurodysfunction disabilities it will probably need more sessions then an orthopedic rehabilitation program, and it will be differend from a rehabilitation program after a surgery.
What is the role of the physiotherapist?
he role of a Physiotherapist, as an health profession, is varied. The physiotherapist has to diagnose problems, implement an intervention program, asses the physical condition, prevent injuries and helps the patient stay in health.
Physiotherapy needs condinuing education. In today’s practice, physiotherapists specialize in different methods and for specific disabilities.
Physiotherapists also spend a lot of their time to educate patients, their families and help people leave healthy lifes.
Physiotherapists are highly trained health professionals who provide treatment for people suffering from different physical problems. The physiotherapist’s purpose is to improve a person’s quality of life.
With physiotherapy you can only be better.