Physiotherapy & its importance to your health:
As per the perception of a majority of people, physiotherapy is a process that comprises exercises and helps treating bone injuries. And then, people even assume that the benefits of this therapy are only restricted to a person who is heads over heels into sports and other domains that require physical strength. Well, fair enough!
However, what most of them don’t know is that Physiotherapy is much more than that.
Basically, it involves treating injuries, diseases, and disorders through physical methods like mobilization, manipulation, manual therapy, electrotherapy, exercises and other such means that are over medication and surgery. To keep it simple they correct and help in maintaining what has been the cause of one’s body getting into trouble.
Physical therapists are highly trained health professionals who aim to improve a person’s quality of life by using a variety of treatments to alleviate pain and restore function. Or, sometimes, in the case of injury being progressive or permanent, a physiotherapist helps to lessen the effects of any dysfunction.
So, the question arises, how different are they from the rest of the doctors who give medicines and perform surgeries?
Basically, they are all healers. Medicines and surgeries are in a way important to recover from what has been depleted in our body or something which needs to be rectified. However, pain can be managed without popping pills or resorting to surgeries. That is when a physiotherapist can be of huge help, to heal one’s body without possible side effects arising from other methods, unless required.
What Physiotherapists Exactly Do?
They assess the physical condition of a person in order to diagnose their problems and implement a treatment plan which can either physically correct the deranged structure or plan out exercises in accordance with their bodies. They majorly are responsible for educating the person and the family to prevent injuries and how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
When to know if we need physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy can be an effective treatment for a plethora of conditions which enhances the chances of betterment and recovery in different areas like:
- Musculoskeletal and Orthopaedics
- Sports medicine
- Neurological conditions
- Cardio-thoracic conditions
- Pediatrics
- Women’s health
Each individual’s treatment is tailor-made to suit their specific conditions which include a wide range of therapies as mentioned earlier. They not only treat the underlying issues but also get to the other factors responsible for it. They adapt a holistic approach that aims to reduce the risk of an injury happening again.
So where do we find them/ reach for them?
These professionals work in a variety of environments including hospitals, health centers, private practices, sports clubs, rehab centers, fitness centers etc. They are usually associated with other health professionals to provide a multi-directional approach to rehabilitation.
Do we need a prescription to see a physiotherapist?
We do not need a prescription, mostly a prior appointment or walk-in is considered in most places. Since physiotherapist and other health professionals are closely associated, it would be more likely that a doctor prescribes for physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy by itself is a vast medical science, which makes a person understand their issue, rectify the problem, educate them and prevent from further more injuries conservatively without encouraging the use of medicines and sometimes unnecessary surgeries. So do not procrastinate visiting them when your body needs attention!
As a quote says ‘Earlier the diagnosis; better is the prognosis’.
Still, have queries or interest to know more about physiotherapy?
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Originally published at medium.com