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Who are Physiotherapists ? What do they do?

Updated: Feb 15, 2022


Physiotherapy is the process of treating disease , injuries, and disorders through physical methods — such as massage, manipulation exercise and several other treatments — over surgery and medication.


Most people still think that physiotherapists work mainly with sports-related injuries and the back, but that's not the case every time. Physiotherapists are thoroughly trained health professionals who give treatment to people who are dealing with physical problems arising from illness, injury, ageing and disease.


The main purpose of a physiotherapist is to improve an individual's quality of life with the help of a variety of treatments used in alleviating pain and restoring function or, in the case of permanent disease or injury, to reduce the effects of any dysfunction.



The Role Of A Physiotherapist


A physiotherapist has to play many different roles every single day and rarely are two days the same. A physiotherapist may be required to assess the physical condition of a patient so as to implement a treatment plan by diagnosing problems, or they could also be helping patients by re-training them to walk, or helping others to get used to wheelchairs, walking frames, or crutches.


Education also has an important role in physiotherapy. Physiotherapists spend a lot of their time educating patients, their families, and the entire community so that it becomes easier to prevent injuries and also helps people to start leading a healthy lifestyle.


A physiotherapist can also propose a plan and implement fitness programmes for the entire community. Finally, sick leave certificates can also be issued by a physiotherapist, should it be deemed necessary to do so.


Throughout their career, physiotherapists treat people who come from different walks of life including people undergoing rehabilitation, pregnant women, children with cerebral palsy, premature babies, the elderly (to try and get them fitter), athletes and those in need of help following a major surgery, stroke, or heart disease.


Types of Physiotherapy


Physiotherapy can be a very effective and essential treatment for a plethora of conditions, here are a few treatments that can help in reducing the recovery time required after a variety of surgeries.


Physiotherapists can dive deeper and choose to specialise in several different areas, including children's health (paediatrics), sports medicine, and even women's health, and further inside these parameters are three distinct areas of practice. They are:


Musculoskeletal, which is popularly known as orthopaedic physiotherapy and is utilised in treating conditions such as back pain, sprains, strains, arthritis, incontinence, posture problems, bursitis, sport and workplace injuries, also helps in regaining reduced mobility. Rehabilitation after a surgery is also included within this category.


Neurological, This is used for treating disorders of the nervous system, which include spinal cord injuries, strokes, acquired brain injuries, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. It can also be used in the rehabilitation process following a brain surgery.


Cardiothoracic, this is the name designated to the treatment of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and other cardio-respiratory disorders.


Types Of Treatment In Physiotherapy


Every individual's treatment plan is tailored so that it suits their specific requirements, and a physiotherapist will select from a large range of therapies, including:


Electrotherapy techniques – This involves ultrasound, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), diathermy, and laser therapy.


Exercise programmes – Such as posture retraining, muscle strengthening, cardiovascular training and stretching.


Manual therapies – These can include manual resistance training, joint mobilisation and manipulation ( helps in spinal mobilisation), and stretching.


In several cases, an injury can occur by other underlying factors. It may be the constant back pain that is caused by repetitive and continuous work-related activities, being overweight, bad posture, even adopting or getting used to the wrong technique while playing sports.


Accordingly, our expert physiotherapist at 1 Health Medical Centre will not only treat the back pain but also address some other factors that may be indirectly responsible for the pain, too. This holistic approach aims at reducing the risk of an injury happening again. You can book an appointment with us by calling us at (Phone number ), and have our expert physical therapist prescribe you the best therapy to help get rid of any type of body pain for good.

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