What is Physiotherapy?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 10 years of experience
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What is the meaning of Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a treatment done for the restoration, maintenance, and general well-being of the patient. Physiotherapy helps in the complete physical rehabilitation of a patient.
Physiotherapists are trained to help a person resume and maintain the various body movements and functions, thereby improving the overall health of the patient.
We will be discussing in detail physiotherapy in this article.
- What is Physiotherapy?
- Who are the doctors that perform Physiotherapy?
- When is Physiotherapy done?
- What are the benefits of Physiotherapy?
- What are the disadvantages of Physiotherapy?
What is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy involves physical exercise with or without equipment, along with education and motivation for the physical rehabilitation of the patient, for the general health and well-being of a patient having mobility disorders due to an injury or illness.
Physiotherapy mainly treats injuries and reduces the pain of the bones and the tissues.
Who are the doctors that perform Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapists are the doctors that do Physiotherapy. They are trained in various medical science disciplines like anatomy (science that deals with the structures of the human body), physiology (study of how living beings function), and neuroscience (science-based study of the nervous system, which is the command center of the body).
Physiotherapists have the knowledge and skills essential for the prevention of injuries, and the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from any physical disorders.
Physiotherapists are specialized in the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of:
- Patients with cardiothoracic disorders, that is conditions involving the heart, lungs, and other chest organs.
- Patients with neuromuscular disorders, that is conditions involving the muscles and the nervous system.
- Patients with musculoskeletal disorders, that is diseases affecting the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues of the body.
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Physiotherapists help in improving the physical function of an individual, thereby improving their overall health and well-being.
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When is Physiotherapy done?
Physiotherapy can be used in the treatment of the following conditions:
- Physiotherapy is done to prevent injury and physical disability.
- Physiotherapy helps in the healing of injuries and chronic diseases.
- Improvement in physical activity is seen using physiotherapy.
- Injury awareness can be provided using physiotherapy.
- In cases of acute (sudden and short-term) and painful conditions, physiotherapy can be useful.
- Apart from this, the specialist gives detailed advice to the patients. This therapy is meant to end the injury and illness of the patient. The therapist may take the help of some equipment to detect the type of injury.
- Some common techniques are also involved in physiotherapy. For example, giving physiotherapy with hands is done to reduce the stiffness in the joints and the spasms of the muscles.
- The sportspeople are assessed with the help of functional testing. Functional testing is the various tests done by a physiotherapist to assess a sportsman’s readiness for his participation in any sporting event, or a baseline measurement before starting a rehabilitation program or screening before the start of any sporting season. A physiotherapist is an important part of any sporting event, as injuries and sprains are commonly seen in athletes and sportsmen.
- Safety and support to the patient during the physiotherapy sessions are provided with the help of device physiotherapy procedures (physiotherapy done with the help of certain machines or devices).
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) (the nerve cells help in the transmission of information by generating electrical signals) is a type of physiotherapy procedure that allows a small amount of low voltage current to be released down the limb (the arm or leg). This helps in reducing pain.
What are the benefits of Physiotherapy?
There are many benefits available to people because of the wide scope of physiotherapy. Physiotherapy can be helpful in people of all age groups, including infants, children, young adults, and elderly people.
Some of the benefits the physiotherapy provides are:
- Physiotherapy can solve orthopedic problems, that is, problems related to the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the body, also known as the musculoskeletal system of the body.
- Physiotherapy helps in curing neurological disorders, that is, disorders of the brain, spinal cord (backbone), and the nerves of the body. Patients with neurological disorders such as stroke (when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or decreased), multiple sclerosis (the protective covering of the nerves is damaged disrupting the communication between the brain and the body), Parkinson’s disease (a disease affecting movement in a person characterized by the presence of tremors), cerebral palsy (abnormal brain development affecting the muscle posture), and spinal cord injury (backbone injury) can get great benefits with physiotherapy treatment. The physiotherapy sessions help in obtaining muscle control, the fine and gross motor skills of an individual are slowly restored, daily activities and functions are restored, strength and flexibility are regained, mobility of the body is restored, and gait training can be done using walking aids.
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- Cardiopulmonary problems, that is, diseases associated with the heart and lungs can be managed by physiotherapy. Cardiopulmonary status responds well to physiotherapy intervention. Patients who have difficulty performing their activities of daily living, or who have shortness of breath and decreased endurance can see a marked improvement in the quality of life through guided exercise and resistance training.
- Many physiotherapists consult in private practice and treat a wide variety of conditions. Orthopedic disorders (such as sports injuries, fractures, headaches, and spinal pain) are the most common type of patients that physiotherapists treat in a clinical setting.
- Physiotherapy treatments include improving strength, range of motion, and endurance and correcting postural and muscular imbalances, joint mobilization, manipulation, and soft tissue massage.
- Therapeutic exercise may also include stretching and trigger point therapy (a type of neuromuscular therapy) which reduces stiffness and relieves pain.
- For children with cerebral palsy, physiotherapy can help reduce spasticity and deformity, improve postural control, teach children to use assistive devices, and do all that is necessary to maximize the child’s functional independence. A physiotherapist will also educate the family so that they can help sustain what the child has learned during treatment.
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What are the disadvantages of Physiotherapy?
The advantages of physiotherapy are many, but there are some disadvantages as well.
- Pain: The patient may have to experience some pain during the therapy. For this, some pain relievers may be given.
- Inflammation: Inflammation or swelling of the body is commonly seen when undergoing physiotherapy. It is considered to be normal because physiotherapy sessions involve stretching and movements of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments to strengthen them. The body may in turn respond to an increase in swelling or edema (retention of fluid in the body). Ice packs are known to be effective in reducing swelling and edema.
- Results are not guaranteed: Physical therapy or physiotherapy cannot guarantee completely treating any condition. This may discourage the patient to stop the physiotherapy sessions mid-way. This may cause re-injury and pain in the long term.
- Cost: Physiotherapy is a long-term procedure and can be expensive.
- Psychological stress: The pain and long-term treatment involved with physiotherapy can increase the stress levels of a patient.
- Limited equipment: Intensive treatment may require larger machinery and equipment which may be too costly or not readily available with all physiotherapists.
- Age factor: Physiotherapy is mostly needed in the elderly having some physical disorders. There may be several exercises that may be beneficial for them, however, they are unable to perform these exercises due to their aged body.
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We hope we have answered all your questions related to Physiotherapy through this article.
If you want to know more about Physiotherapy and get treatment, you can contact a Physiotherapist.
We only aim to give you information through this article and do not recommend any form of medication or treatment in any way. Only a qualified doctor can give you good advice and the correct treatment plan.
