Need for physiotherapy in today’s fast-paced life

Need for physiotherapy in today’s fast-paced life

Humankind is no stranger to physical and musculoskeletal ailments, over years and years of evolution. More advanced lifestyles bring in newer, more advanced ailments. In the earlier days. most of these ailments or conditions used to be treated with medicines. Over the years, people have realized the essential role played by lifestyle changes, of which exercise is a major part- in preventing or alleviating most diseases or disorders that plague mankind. Physiotherapy is a field built on the foundations of movement and exercise. Today, physiotherapists are gaining popularity for their pivotal role in healing individuals through exercise and movement.

Here are a few noteworthy roles played by physiotherapy in not only preserving health but also improving one’s quality of life:

• Improves Mobility and Movement: Mobility exercises are known to enhance joint health, improve joint lubrication, and protect the joints against degenerative conditions like arthritis. While these mobility exercises are a boon for those wishing to remain flexible, they are also helpful for patients suffering from joint conditions when prescribed correctly.
• Helps in Pain Management: Exercises and modalities developed over years of research on the brain’s responses and reactions to a certain stimulus have made physiotherapy a critical part of pain management. From the smallest sprain to the most intense labour pains, physiotherapy will be at the rescue!
• Management of injuries: Physiotherapists are trained to manage and rehabilitate injuries right from the first aid stage, through the recovery and finally return to activity. Be it an athlete suffering an injury on field, or a housewife having a fall resulting in a fracture. Physiotherapists work hand-in-hand with orthopaedic surgeons pre-operatively as well as post-operatively, to ensure optimal recovery and effective return to independent life. This reduces the negative impact of an injury on the individual’s physical, mental as well as social well-being.
• Help in Pre- and Post Surgery Rehabilitation: A physiotherapist’s role is not limited to orthopaedic injuries and surgery. When a patient has undergone a major operative procedure, he/she is confined to the bed for a certain period of time. In this scenario, the physiotherapist trains the patient to increase mobility while still in bed. Additionally, the therapist also teached breathing techniques to prevent loss of lung capacity due to bed rest. Gradually, train them to sit up, and transfer out of the bed to perform daily activities like eating, dressing, grooming, and using the washroom. This not only keeps the patient fit and healthy, but also allows them to be independent during their recovery process.
• Assist in managing chronic health conditions: As discussed, movement and exercise plays a crucial role in preventing and minimizing the impact of most chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), and heart disease. Physiotherapists have the knowledge and training to prescribe specific type and intensity of exercise to prevent the occurrence of these conditions in individuals at risk, and also to minimize the detrimental effects of the disease in patients diagnosed with these conditions. A supervised exercise program can help a patient live an active life even after open heart surgery.
• Increase strength and balance: Strengthening exercises specific to the needs and fitness levels of every individual are tailor-made and taught by a physical therapist depending upon the desired goals. For a healthy young adult, the exercises may be aimed at maximizing muscle strength, muscular endurance and improving sport performance. Meanwhile, in an elderly with a risk of fall, exercises are prescribed to improve balance and coordination. In this way, every individual is able to reap the maximum benefits of physiotherapy, irrespective of age, gender, health status, and desired outcome.
• Improves Women’s Health: Women Health has become an area of increasing importance in the field of physiotherapy. It is aimed at rehabilitation of women’s physical health at various stages of life, and various conditions affecting them. Pre and postnatal physiotherapy are aimed at management and rehabilitation of women before and after childbirth, to help them deal with the musculoskeletal changes caused during pregnancy. Physiotherapy also helps the post-menopausal woman cope with the changes she experiences and to protect from the damaging effects of osteoporosis.

Consider this your sign to consult a physiotherapist for the small aches and pains you’ve been waiting to deal with. Contact us for the best physiotherapy services in the city!