Physical therapists are certified and skilled in movement, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). A variety of injuries, illnesses, and disabilities can be identified and treated by them.
Enhancing a person's quality of life and range of motion while preventing new injuries or disabilities is the goal of physical therapy.
Physiotherapists treat patients from initial diagnosis to restorative and preventive stages of recovery.
According to the World Confederation for Physical Therapist-
A physical therapist conduct a physical exam and evaluation of a person’s movement, flexibility, muscle and joint motion, and performance, including finding out about their health history
Give a clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care with short- and long-term goals
Perform physical therapy treatment and intervention
Give self-management recommendations, including exercises a person can do at home.
Benefits of Physiotherapy
1. Reduce Pain
It's not always simple to pinpoint the underlying cause of your acute or chronic pain. Acute pain typically begins suddenly and has an obvious reason. However, it often gets better with time, treatment, and healing Chronic pain, on the other hand, lasts more than 3 months and is typically caused by an injury, disease, inflammation, medical treatment, or in some cases, an unknown reason.A physiotherapist can assess your situation and develop a treatment plan to alleviate your pain.
Physical therapy is a better alternative for controlling pain than opioids, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Therapeutic exercises, joint mobilization techniques, and treatments like tapping, ultrasound, and electric stimulation are commonly used to reduce muscle and joint pain.
2. Improve Mobility and Movement
with stretching and strengthening exercises,physiotherapy can help you move. It can help you in ambulation with the help of mobility aids like cane or cruthches.
Your physiotherapist can recommend exercises to strengthen your muscles and increase joint flexibility in order to improve your balance, coordination, and range of motion. This will enable you to move freely, carry out daily tasks with ease, and feel more independent.
3. Improve balance and co ordination
Physiotherapy can help lower the risk of balance-related accidents and injuries by increasing muscle strength and flexibility, which makes it a vital tool for older persons.
4. Prevents Re injury
Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in injury prevention. By assessing movement patterns,muscular imbalances physiotherapists develop tailored exercise programmes to strengthen your weak areas to reduce the risk of setbacks and re-injury.
5. Avoid Non invasive treatment
With its ability to alleviate pain and promote healing, physiotherapy can eliminate the need for invasive surgical procedures.
6. Recovery from sports related injury
Physiotherapy can assist you in making a safe recovery and return to sports following an injury by creating customized workouts for prevention. Additionally, it can hasten the healing of sports-related ailments like concussions and tennis elbow, allowing you to resume your favorite activities sooner.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease,trusted Source treatment of a more severe sports injury may require physical therapy for rehabilitation or fitting for a brace, cast, or splint.
7. Improve athlete's performance
A physiotherapist work closely with assessing the condition and prevent injuries. They also provide guidance on strengthening your core and back muscles, improving reaction time, and improving your joints flexible, thus helping you reach your full potential and enhance overall athletic performance.
8. Treat symptoms of arthritis
Physical therapy may help reduce symptoms of joint stiffness inflammation, pain, tenderness, swelling,caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Physiotherapy helps in managing joint pain and improve over-all quality of life.
9. Recovery from neurological condition
Physiotherapy can manage symptoms caused by neurological condition like stroke,Parkinson’s disease, multiple schlerosis and issues related to spinal cord injuries.
By using specialized treatment plan, neuro physiotherapy can manage nerve diseases, providing essential relief and improving quality of life.
10. Improve symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction
Significant damage results in weakened pelvic floor muscles that are unable to support the pelvic organs to their fullest extent, which can lead to prolapse, low back discomfort, urine leaks, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pressure.
Pregnancy, birth, abdominal surgeries change the tension of the pelvic floor muscles.
Strengthening of pelvic floor muscles, tailored exercise programmes,pain relieving techniques helps in managing the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.
11. Cardiopulmonary disorders
Exercises that focus on breathing are especially beneficial for building lung strength and removing fluid from the lungs, which supports healthy breathing and heart function.
CAN YOU DIRECTLY VISIT A PHYSIOTHERAPIST
You can directly approach a physiotherapist without a referral from a doctor.
"If you are experiencing persistent pain, reduced mobility, or discomfort while doing regular activities,you can directly consult a physiotherapist".
When choosing a physiotherapist,make sure they are qualified degree holders.
Think about getting physiotherapy if you have an injury, or chronic pain that affects your everyday function. A doctor may refer you to physiotherapy after surgery such as a hip replacement, or an event such as stroke.
An individual can directly go to a physiotherapist in a clinic. But in hospitals mostly people approach a physiotherapist after they are referred by the orthopedic department or similar.
Dr. Sujit Biswas (PT) Sports Physiotherapist
Raj, M. (n.d.). The great advantages of physiotherapy: A comprehensive guide. HCAH Blog. Retrieved May 20, 2024, from https://www.hcah.in/blog/the-great-advantages-of-physiotherapy-a-comprehensive-guide/
What are the benefits of physical therapy? (2022, October 14). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-physical-therapy
(By Priyanka Pandey)
SB
