About Physiotherapy
What Is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that assesses, physical diagnoses, treats, and works to prevent disease and disability through physical means. Physiotherapists are experts in movement and function who work in partnership with their patients, assisting them to overcome movement disorders, which may have been present from birth, acquired through accident or Condition, or are the result of ageing or life-changing events.
Physiotherapy can help recovery from Condition, reduce pain and stiffness, and increase mobility. A physiotherapist can also help you prevent further Condition by listening to your needs and working with you to plan the most appropriate treatment for your condition, including setting goals and treatment outcomes.
As first contact practitioners, a doctor’s referral is not necessary to see a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists and other health professionalswork as part of a team to plan and manage treatment for a specific condition.
Physiotherapy courses vary across the country and entry may be through a bachelor, masters or professional doctorate program. Physiotherapists are required by law to be registered with the Physiotherapists Registration Board/counsel in the state or territory in which they are practising.
How Can A Physio Help You?
Like every person, every physical ailment is different, and your physiotherapist will take you through an extensive assessment process to work out exactly what is going on in your situation. This involves a series of questions and physical tests. Once a thorough assessment has been completed, the therapist will be able to determine what structures in your body are contributing, and therefore what your Physical diagnosis is.
The physio will then work with you to make a plan for your recovery. This will involve education regarding your body and your current Physical condition, important advice regarding any modifications you may need to make to your daily activities, and a program of specific exercises to rehabilitate your body.
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Physiotherapy Assesment
Physiotherapists are educated to ask a specific series of questions regarding your physical condition, in order to work out exactly what is going on. Information such as how the problem started, what activities make it worse and what treatments you have already tried, gives your physio valuable clues to solve the detective story that your condition presents.
By performing physical movements or tests, and providing feedback to your physio, additional information can be collected to finalise the diagnosis process.
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Physiotherapy Diagnosis
Physical diagnosis is different from the pathological diagnosis. A Slip disc diagnosed in Pathologial tests, post physical assessment , may be diagnosed as Weak abdominal muscles or a flat foot or posture imbalance. And accordingly the root cause of the problem will be planned to treat. Thus a Physiotherapist works on Flexibility, Muscle strengthening, Neuro muscular coordination, Cardio-vascular endurance and Balance.
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Physiotherapy Treatment
Physiotherapy treatment, first and foremost, involves giving you a clear understanding of what your condition is, and how and why it happened. The next step is to establish how your condition fits with your current lifestyle and activity level. Should you stop or keep pushing through? Should you do more or less? Your Physiotherapist will give you a really clear framework to follow.
Finally, your physiotherapist will work with you to develop a series of exercises to assist you with recovery. These exercises will stretch what may be tight, strengthen what is weak, and improve balance, reflexes and overall function. These exercises will be progressed as you improve, to a point where they will form a maintenance program to help to prevent you to get recurrent problem.