Physiotherapy

Introduction

A patient, who underwent surgery, illness or any trauma, would need to undergo a process where he/she can restore and regain physical strength and function. This process is called Rehabilitation and it usually progresses in the following way:

Acute or Physician care:

is the stage where the patient’s condition is stabilized by a hospital stay, usually recommended for patients suffering from serious injuries or multiple traumas.

Inpatient Rehabilitation:

is the stage where the hospitalized patient starts to regain function and independence due to the different therapies provided, depending on the patient’s condition.

Outpatient Rehab:

is the stage where the patient is provided with a rehab program as part of the treatment after he/she is discharged from the hospital.

What is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a specialty that involves physical medicine and rehabilitation, which is usually provided along with other treatment options at times. It makes use of mechanical force and movement to,

• Cure impairments
• Boost the mobility, function, and quality of life of the patient This is usually done by examining the patient, diagnosing the issue, proposing the treatment and then using physical intervention.

In some cases, physiotherapy is also called Rehab Physiotherapy as it is provided to treat patients of all ages, who underwent surgeries or suffering from any medical condition, ailments or injuries that limit their independence and normal activities.

Specialties
Physiotherapy has the following different sub-specialties:

• Sports
• Neurology
• Wound care
• EMG
• Cardiopulmonary
• Geriatrics
• Women’s health
• Pediatrics

Need for Physiotherapy

In physiotherapy sessions, the physiotherapist will work closely with the patient to achieve the following:

• To check the extent and nature of the patient’s problem
• Involve the patient in setting goals of the therapy
• To support the patient and advise him/her with the right way to get treated
• Regularly evaluate the progress of the patient
• In cases of athletes, the sports physiotherapists usually having been exposed to different sporting environments, does the following
  • Treat the patient’s pain and injury through hands-on treatment and rehabilitation
  • Help the patient prevent further injuries by going through specific strengthening exercises.