Physiotherapy and its exponential effect on daily life

Abhijit Kalita

(abhi.kalita012@gmail.com)

Health is a very crucial topic that needs to be taken care of in today’s modern world. Health can be defined as a complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of any disease or casualties. There are multiple ways that can be used to promote health and deal with day-to-day physical difficulties. Physical therapy is one of the oldest and most effective ways to get relief from them; it is also termed kinesiotherapy and physiotherapy. This branch of treatment is concerned with human function by identifying and maximising quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment or intervention, habilitation, and restoring physical, psychological, and social wellbeing, taking into account variations in health status.

Physicians like Hippocrates and later Galen are believed to have been the first practitioners of physiotherapy, advocating massage, manual therapy techniques, and hydrotherapy to treat people in 460 B.C. The earliest documented origins of actual physiotherapy as a professional group date back to Per Henrik Ling, “Father of Swedish Gymnastics,” who founded the Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics (RCIG) in 1813 for massage, manipulation, and exercise.

The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is an international organisation that represents the physiotherapy profession globally. It was founded on September 8, 1951, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since then, World Physiotherapy Day has been celebrated annually on September 8. This day symbolises the unity of physiotherapists worldwide and their shared commitment to promoting health and well-being through physical therapy.

Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that focuses on optimising physical function and improving the overall well-being of individuals. It encompasses a wide range of services.

Some main points include:

Rehabilitation of patients: Physiotherapists help patients recover from injuries, surgeries, or illnesses by designing personalised exercise programmes and using techniques such as manual therapy to restore mobility and strength. It helps in bringing back the patient’s previous life as a healthy human being.

Pain Management and Relief: Physiotherapists play a crucial role in managing chronic pain conditions and providing relief through various modalities like heat therapy, electronic therapy, interferential therapy, U.V., ultrasound, and acupuncture. This method or treatment relieves the patient from tremendous pain and provides comfort.

Prevention of any casualties: Physiotherapists educate individuals about injury and how to prevent it, which helps them maintain a healthy and active lifestyle without any physical difficulty.

Support in the sports field: Athletes and other sportsmen rely on physiotherapists to enhance their physical performance, prevent injuries, and rehabilitate after any sports-related injuries.

Four ways physical therapy can improve your performance in sports

Physical Therapy, Orthopaedics, Wellness

A physical therapist of Asian descent works with her patient.

Physical therapy isn’t just for injury recovery. Physical therapy is an essential part of any well-designed training programme to prevent injuries and optimise your sports performance.

You don’t only visit a dentist when you have a cavity. Regularly scheduled cleanings and checkups will keep your pearly whites in tip-top shape. The same is true for physical therapy. As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

“The best time for physical therapy is before an injury ever occurs. Physical therapists will identify and correct weaknesses that may lead to injury or suboptimal performance,” says Megan Thacker, PT, DPT, SCS, with Riverside Physical Therapy-Regional Medical Centre.

Four benefits of physical therapy for athletes:

A. Improve flexibility, strength, and balance to avoid injury: The goal of physical therapy is to help relieve pain and improve movement so that you feel good and perform better. A physical therapist will use specific screening methods to assess how your body is functioning now and what could use improvement. An assessment will review several factors, including:

Joint range of motion • Strength of muscle groups • Balance • Coordination • Flexibility • Pain

Using this assessment, your therapist will develop a set of exercises designed to improve each area of weakness. With regular progress, your performance and pain levels should improve with time.

“Stiffness, having a limited range of motion, or feeling off balance can lead to injuries, and you can’t perform your best if you’re sitting on the sidelines. Attaining these weaknesses ahead of time will ensure you’re ready to play and ready to win on game day,” says Thacker.

Improve your form for greater efficiency on the field.

Whether you are lifting weights, kicking a field goal, or running a 5K, form matters. Poor form impacts speed, strength, endurance, and power. A physical therapist will assess your form and provide guidance on how to adjust it for maximum efficiency, whatever your sport.

Reduce physiologic and mental stress.

Physical therapy isn’t just about completing exercises and strengthening muscles. It’s also about releasing muscle tension. Massage therapy is one component of physical therapy that turns on the body’s relaxation response to help combat both physical stress from activity and mental stress.

Come back after an injury stronger than before:

Despite all the necessary precautions and training, injuries may still occur. And when they do, physical therapy is the vehicle to get you back in the game.

Targeted exercise will retrain your body. What’s more, your physical therapist will also address factors that contributed to the injury, like balance, weakness, or overuse, to avoid similar injuries in the future.

Paediatrics: Physiotherapy is very beneficial for children with growth difficulties and low range of motion. It exponentially increases the motor function of the body and helps in leading a healthy day-to-day life. Paediatric physiotherapists treat patients under 18 years old and babies.

Mental well-being: The connection between physical and mental health is well-established. Mental health is defined as a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make contributions to his or her community. More concrete mental health includes different components of life; for example, in terms of relationships, having a good relationship with family and having supportive friends with the ability to talk about feelings For leisure time, it is about having hobbies, doing exercises on a regular basis, and taking regular holidays. Furthermore, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle that includes having healthy eating habits, not smoking or drinking, not taking non-prescribed drugs, and at least being able to achieve some goals in life. Mental health is not merely the absence of a mental disorder. It exists on a continuum to include flourishing mental health, very good mental health, mean mental health, decreased mental health, mental health problems, and mental health disorders. Engaging in regular physiotherapy can boost mental wellbeing by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. The sense of achievement that comes from making physical progress can also have a positive impact on one’s mental state.

Physiotherapists play a critical role in diagnosing and treating various conditions, injuries, and disabilities through a combination of manual therapy, exercise, and education.

The evidence-based practice and personalised approach of physiotherapy ensure that patients receive the most appropriate and effective care for their specific needs. Physiotherapy helps individuals recover from injuries and manage chronic conditions. It also promotes preventive care and encourages a healthy and active lifestyle. As a result, physiotherapy has become an integral part of the healthcare system worldwide, contributing to an improved quality of life for countless individuals.