world physiotherapy day : physiotherapist a movement super specialist

ARTICLE BY Dr. OMAIR KHAN

Do u know what is Physiotherapy ?

well its the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods such as exercise rather than by drugs or surgery.

Where & how it can be used ?

Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. Moreover, physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that assesses, diagnoses, treats, and works to prevent disease and disability.

Physiotherapists are experts in movement and function, a physiotherapist can also help prevent further injury by listening to patients needs and expectations, working together to plan the most appropriate treatment for any individual condition, including setting goals and treatment outcomes.

Physiotherapists can use their knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions, such as:

Neuromusculoskeletal conditions like low back pain, subacromial impingement, sports injuries i.e. ACL rupture, osteoarthritis, tennis’ elbow

Neurological Conditions like stroke, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis,
Cardiovascular conditions like chronic heart disease, rehabilitation after heart attack,
Respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis,
Physical therapists are evidence-based health care professionals, which means they will always try to provide the best treatment available from research, tailored on the individual

A physiotherapist can get you on track to have Pain-free Movement, which is essential to be able to do your favourites physical activities, so preventing a lot of chronic diseases. Recover well from a large variety of conditions with physiotherapists’ help.

Even if surgery and drugs can be the best course of treatment for certain diagnoses, there are conditions in which physiotherapy can be equally effective.

Physical Therapy helps manage pain – Chronic pain can be one of the most frustrating conditions to experience, especially if the underlying cause is unknown. However, physical therapy techniques and therapeutic exercises can help mobilize your joints and soft tissue and restore muscle function, reducing aches or eliminating pain altogether.

Physical Therapy can help avoid surgery – While surgery is unavoidable in some cases, physical therapy can help avoid surgery for others. By eliminating pain, assisting with healing, and improving physical health, physical therapy can help heal injured tissue and facilitate mobility all on its own, thus eliminating the need to go under the knife.

Often, after a serious injury or a big surgery, it can be hard for patients to get back on their feet. Mobility can be restricted, and simple activities like writing, eating, or balancing the body can prove to be a challenge. Therapeutic exercises can restore mobility, make walking and moving around safer, and can even improve coordination and balance in patients who are at high risk for falls.
Physical Therapy is safer and more conservative approach for older patients, as it gives them a less traumatic alternative than undergoing joint replacement surgery. Physical therapy benefits has also proven to be effective for patients suffering from cardiac issues, as it improves cardiovascular function.

One of the key aspects of physical therapy involves assessing the weak areas in the patient’s body, and formulating a PT plan that helps strengthen these vulnerable points.

recognizing the areas of muscular or skeletal weakness, a physical therapist can analyze how likely it is that a patient will suffer injury, and create an exercise regimen that targets and strengthens weak muscle groups and joints, thus preventing future injuries in these areas.

Physiotherapy can help manage age related issues – Many times as an individual ages throughout their life, many people may develop arthritis and osteoporosis. Physical therapy can help alleviate the pain and help recover from for example getting a knee, hip or joint replacement.

Another benefit of physical therapy is that it can help manage arthritis and osteoporosis.Often when someone goes through surgery, there can be long term pain issues that need to be addressed. To reduce the risk of dependance on pain medication (mainly opioids), physical therapy is often a great safe alternative choice to address the pain issues from surgery. Even the CDC (center for disease prevention and control) recommends using physical therapy instead of pain medications like opioids. Many times as part of the healing process through physical therapy one is able to regain capabilities that were once lost. Although this does not happen quickly, after a few years of physical therapy under the supervision of an expert physical therapist.

In addition, physical therapy is great because it helps not just regain original capabilities but because it will help significantly improve the overall fitness and health of a patient.

Many of the common reasons people get physical therapy are varied but here are the most common: reduce or eliminate pain, avoid surgery, improve mobility, recover from stroke, recover from a sports injury, improve balance strength muscles to prevent falls, pre-diabetes management, managing age related issues.

Some of the most common benefits of post surgery physical therapy are: to restore function (both normal and joint function), building up strength in your muscles and surrounding muscles, take away pain and ease the swelling in very sensitive areas, to help with ADL (activities of daily living), help with healing through increased circulation, avoiding blot clots.

WELL AT LAST I WOULD SAY – WHILE OTHER TREATMENT PLAN MAY GIVE YOU LIFE,
                                                         PHYSIOTHERAPY GIVES QUALITY TO LIFE

Stay Healthy – Stay Active – HAPPY WORLD PHYSIOTHERAPY DAY (8th September)

Dr Omair Khan (PT) – (Pune Maharashtra)MPT (Orthopaedics) , MOTPTFounder & President Advanced Rehabilitation & Fitness AcademyCerified Pilates Instructor (Canada)Certified ANC PNC InstructorCertified Aerobic InstructorAdvanced Fitness / Gym InstructorIndoor Cycling InstructorCDNT, CKTT, CCT