What is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a primary care, self-governing, patient-focused health profession dedicated to improving quality of life by:
- Promoting optimal mobility, physical activity and overall health and wellness
- Preventing disease, injury and disability
- Managing acute and chronic conditions, acitvity limitations and participation restrictions
- Improving and maintaining optimal functional independence and physical performance
- Rehabilitating injury and the effects of disease or disability with therapeutic exercise programs and other interventions
- Educating patients and planning maintenance and support programs to prevent re-occurence, re-injury or functional decline
Physiotherapy is anchored in movement sciences and aims to enhance or restore function to mulitple body systems, thereby enhancing quality of life as well as physical performance.
How Physiotherapists assess
A Physiotherapist will assess you using detailed history-taking as well as specific tests and measures, such as flexibility and range of motion. He or she will then analyze these findings and use clinical reasoning to establish a diagnosis. Together, you will explore your current abilities and functional needs so the physiotherapist can plan treatments that are consistent with your goals and general health status, and which incorporate approaches and techniques supported by the best evidence available.
How physiotherapists treat
Physiotherapy treatments can include the following:
- Personalized exercise programs designed to improve your strength, range of motion and function
- Hands-on mobilization to reduce pain and stiffness, and improve mobility
- Hot and cold packs and modalities (such as ultrasound and interferential current or IFC) to relieve pain, reduce swelling, speed up the healing process, and improve movement and function
- Airway clearance methods to assist people with breathing difficulties
- Management of incontinence including pelvic floor re-education
- Functional activity and tolerance testing and training
- Work and occupational re-training, and return to work planning
- Prescription and application of assistive, adaptive, supportive and protective devices and equipment
- Workstation or Home environment change, focusing on removing barriers to function