Yay !!! lets talk about physiotherapy

I spent 6 years and some months in total studying to be a physiotherapist.

But what exactly is physiotherapy?

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WHAT IS PHYSICAL THERAPY?

Physical therapy is a form of medical care aimed at relieving pain, improving mobility and enabling a person's body to function better in daily life. The most common uses of physical therapy include recovery from injury or surgery, although it can be used to treat painful conditions or simply to improve things like balance.

Physiotherapists are physical therapists who are trained and licensed medical professionals. They are skilled in diagnosing physical abnormalities, restoring physical function and mobility, maintaining physical function, and promoting physical activity. In the United States, a physical therapist must have a doctorate in physical therapy from an accredited training program and pass a state licensing exam.

WHAT IS PHYSIOTHERAPY?

Physiotherapy is defined as the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity through physical methods such as massage, joint manipulation, and other techniques outside of medication or surgery. A physical therapist helps people who have suffered an injury, illness, or disability by providing exercise routines, manual therapy, education, and counseling.

A key element of physical therapy is that it takes a holistic approach to wellness and treatment, focusing on the whole person, including lifestyle and overall health.

The goal of physical therapy is to help people remain independent and active members of society as much as possible.

HOW THEY DIFFER?
Both physical therapy and physical therapy use practical techniques and movement techniques to improve the condition of the body, but they differ primarily in their approach. In short, physical therapy focuses on manual therapies while physical treatment is more movement-based. They are able to achieve similar goals using different forms of treatment.

Physiotherapy is often a hospital service used in post-operative care and other urgent situations.In the case of non-threatening injuries, on the other hand, physiotherapy is used more frequently. A physical therapist focuses on evaluating and treating issues like muscle pain, strains, injuries, and chronic movement issues like arthritis.

GENERAL PHYSIOTHERAPY TECHNIQUES

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The main technique used by physical therapists is physical exercise. Depending on the patient's needs, they develop exercises to contract, relax, and increase mobility of the injured or affected body parts. The goal of these exercises is usually to recover common movements that are painful or impossible.Patients who have become accustomed to the exercises can often do them at home.

Physiotherapists sometimes use other methods or devices in their treatment. Heat and cold therapies such as ice and cold packs or infrared heat can be used to treat chronic conditions and relieve pain. Ultrasound treatment is also common, as it can use deep heat to reduce swelling in an affected area.

TENS units are another common device used by physical therapists who treat both chronic and acute pain.With a TENS machine, electrodes are placed on the skin near the painful area. Then signals are sent through the nerve fibers to block pain signals.

COMMON PHYSIOTHERAPY TECHNIQUES

Most of the techniques used in physical therapy are hands-on techniques designed to manipulate, mobilize, and massage the tissues of the body. This relieves pain and stiffness, improves circulation, and encourages exercise and relaxation. Some of these techniques include:

massage to stimulate the body's soft tissues
soft tissue techniques such as stretching and myofascial relaxation
joint manipulation and mobilization, which uses sliding of the joint to improve movement, function and control
physical therapy instrument mobilization (PIM) uses handcrafted instruments
Minimum Energy Techniques (MET), which use muscle's own energy to relax muscles through autogenic or reciprocal inhibition and muscle lengthening
Osteopathy, Acupuncture, and Kinesiology

SHOULD I CONSULT A BODY THERAPIST OR PHYSIOTHERAPIST?

For most people, this question is often answered simply where you are being treated.

Physiotherapists usually work in hospitals, clinics or rehabilitation and postoperative centres.A physical therapist may be assigned to you at these locations rather than looking for one and they will usually work with you for a short time. Physiotherapists usually work in private clinics, gyms or rehabilitation centers. Typically, you will see a physical therapist for a long period of time.

When considering seeking this type of care, most people will start with a physical therapist and move on to physical therapy when other techniques are needed. Because of the fine line between practices, some physical therapists also offer hands-on techniques more commonly associated with physical therapy.Ultimately, both treatment methods are incredibly effective and safe options for pain sufferers.

Thanks for taking time to learn this little about physiotherapy, sayonara 🖐

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