Meticulous Physiotherapy treatment can heal patients sans medicines
| Date :16-Sep-2019 |
Principal Correspondent :
There are so many misconceptions about physiotherapy. People are unaware about this branch. Most people think that after every orthopaedic injury one has to do some physiotherapy. Thats it! But this is not true. Physiotherapy is not limited only to post-orthopaedic procedures. It has gone beyond that. Physiotherapy is a complex specialty, as it deals with all disciplines of medicine. Post-operative rehabilitation is the main aspect of physiotherapy and it is being done in a proper manner by the physiotherapists.
Dr Vishal Patel, Member, Executive Committee, Maharashtra State OT and PT Council said, “Physiotherapy provides a thorough rehabilitation programme with an emphasis on fitness, education, and prevention. Hands-on attention is given to reduce pain and normalise function, while individualised programmes are carefully designed for each patient, both in the clinic and at home.” physical fitness of the heart and lungs. This treatment specialises in clearing away any chest secretions so as to enable and help an individual to breathe more normally. It also helps patients to recuperate in asthma, COPD, increased chest secretions, other respiratory infections and conditions. In neurological problems like stroke paralysis, facial palsy, GBS, balance disorder, spinal cord injury physiotherapy is applied.
Dr Umanjali Damke, Head, Department of Physiotherapy, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) further explained, “Physiotherapy provides services to individuals and populations to develop maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. This includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, diseases, disorders, conditions or environmental factors. Functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy.” Dr Y Praveen Kumar, Professor at NKP Salve College of Physiotherapy pointed out, “Physiotherapists interact and practice in collaboration with a variety of health professionals, including physicians, surgeons, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and others.
As responsible health professionals, physical therapists acknowledge the need to educate and inform other health professionals, Government agencies and the consumer public about the services they offer and their effective and cost-efficient delivery.”
Salient features of physiotherapy Dr Vishal Patel explained salient features of physiotherapy, “A physiotherapist is an integral member of any rehabilitation team and has a very important role in management of various common medical conditions, but not restricted to, listed below: n Post traumatic/ immobilisation stiffness/ arthritis (all types)/ degenerative joint disorders and other orthopedic disorder. n Paralysis/ stroke/ paraplegia/ head injury/ neuropathy/ parkinsonism/ multiple sclerosis. n Asthma/ pneumonia/ pleural effusion/ By-Pass (CABG) surgery and other surgical cases. n Cerebral Palsy/ Delayed Milestones/ Muscular Dystrophy/ ADHD/ Poliomyelitis, etc.
When you should consult a Physiotherapist? n You are suffering from any acute/chronic/occasional pain brought by any injury. n Your joints are hurting or stiff/ movements are restricted or painful. n You are experiencing any trouble in performing everyday activities due to any injury.
Be cautious while approaching physiotherapists n These days there are lots of unqualified persons who claim to be Physiotherapists and are either operating individual physiotherapy clinics, working in hospitals or doing home visits. n The public in general is requested to be aware of such quacks and do not fall prey to any such malpractice. n Whenever you visit/consult any Physiotherapist, please check his/her credentials and registration/license issued. Physiotherapy in Rehabilitation Physiotherapy and rehabilitation go hand in hand. Rehabilitation is nothing but bringing back a disabled individual to maximal normal condition using all his/her existing capacities. Physiotherapy in Rehabilitation involves maximal training and/or retraining of physical abilities in a disabled individual to achieve rehabilitation. Physiotherapy in Obstetrics is concerned with postural care and physical fitness of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. Sports Physiotherapy is specialised for sportspersons. Guidance in sport activities like techniques of warming up period, cooling down period, guidance in lifting techniques and also treatment of sport injuries are dealt. Physiotherapy in Paediatrics deals with the treatment for the children born with physical disabilities and also for the children undergoing any surgery, requiring physiotherapy care are dealt here. Some of the conditions dealt here are: delayed milestone, cerebral palsy (brain disorder affecting movement), Club foot, before and after a surgery (in case of congenital heart disease), respiratory infections, fractures in children.