Physiotherapists help treat and rehabilitate people suffering from injuries, illnesses, and chronic pain using physical therapy as opposed to drugs. They are essential in the restoration of movement in the human body after it has been damaged in some way. For this reason, physiotherapists work all around the world in both private and government-funded positions. The services offered by physiotherapists are myriad. This brief article sums up some of the most common services that are typically offered by qualified physical therapists.
Physical Rehabilitation
Accidents, illnesses, and conditions of all sorts affect the ability of the body to move. Complications with movement can seriously change a person’s quality of life and can be immensely complex and unique. Some physiotherapists specialize in physical rehabilitation. If, for instance, you were unlucky enough to be in a car crash and receive a head injury that impaired your ability to walk, you would be referred to a specialist motor function physiotherapist that would develop a plan to help you regain some movement. If you suffer from chronic back pain, you would almost certainly be referred to a different kind of physical rehabilitation specialist.
Sports Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists are regularly hired by professional athletes and sporting organizations. Regular sporting activity places a great deal of strain on joints, bones, and muscular tissues. Athletes, therefore, require far more physiotherapy than the average person. Many physiotherapists specialize entirely in providing services to sportspeople.
Massage
In the world of physiotherapy, massage is usually referred to as manual therapy. Physiotherapists conducting a course of manual therapy use their hands to manipulate and mobilize areas of muscle and tissue in order to help with a patient’s recovery, strength, and flexibility. Physiotherapists such as those working with ATLphysio.com are taught how to identify knots and sprains in muscular tissue. Through manual therapy, they gain a better understanding of the problem that their patient is facing and can get them on the road to recovery.
As well as being beneficial to the musculoskeletal system, manual therapy can also help with anxiety and some lung conditions.
Exercise Planning
When recovering from an injury or attempting to improve physical movement, having a good exercise plan is essential. It is necessary to slowly reintroduce your body to exercise after the trauma caused by a significant injury. Although it is possible to do this without help, physiotherapists are wonderfully placed to guide you through the process and identify steps you can take in order to get back in the gym or out on the playing field. Not all injuries are the same, so taking a “one size fits all” approach to recovery exercise planning is a very poor choice.
A good physiotherapist will gather all of the information you have about your injury, make a physical assessment, and then carefully draw up a plan to get you back moving again. Although your General Practitioner will be able to tell you roughly when you should get back to exercising, they will not have as much specialist musculoskeletal knowledge or experience as a physiotherapist.