KATHMANDU: In modern health science, when the patient is treated with drugs and different types of surgery, the method of treating the patient without taking drugs and without surgery is known as physiotherapy.
As described by World Physiotherapy, Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation.
I think that physiotherapy is indispensable for recovering well in all age groups people from newborns to the elderly and patients who have undergone various types of surgery. There are many instances in which patients who could not be cured by taking medicine and surgery returned to normalcy through physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy service is especially a supportive treatment method for all diseases. It is also connected with modern health science. From highly developed countries to underdeveloped countries, physiotherapy services have become indispensable in recent times. Physical therapy through exercise or machines is physiotherapy.
There are various types of therapy such as orthopedic physiotherapy for joints, neuro-physiotherapy for nerves, sports physiotherapy for sports, cardio and pulmonary physiotherapy for the heart, geriatric for the elderly and pediatric for children.
Physiotherapy is a form of treatment under the allopathic method. It can be done by people of any age group. Physiotherapy is used to reduce pain, make people active, move immobile joints, to reactivate organs after treatment.
How to understand physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is called physical therapy in the West. We use the term ‘doctor’ to refer to the person who examines the patient. This is vector terminology.
Physiotherapy is also a vector terminology. Physiotherapy consists of various specialists in oncology, orthopedics, sports medicine, ops gynecology, community pediatrics, and cardiopulmonary medicine.
All these experts have acquired their skills through specialization. Those who have completed three years of basic diploma course after SLC or Plus Two are called Physiotherapy Assistants. After five years of training, they are called physiotherapists.
A person who specializes in a particular subject is known as a specialized physiotherapist. Apart from this, there is also a Doctor in Physiotherapy and a Ph.D. in Physiotherapy. Physiotherapy is a means of diagnosing the patient’s disease and providing physical intervention through exercise and electrotherapy.
Amenable to physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is required for all types of people from pregnant women to elderly people. Antenatal care is done by the pregnant woman. Postnatal care is provided after the baby is born. A pediatric physiotherapist will provide physiotherapy to a young child if he or she has problems related to joint stiffness.
When the body system is affected along with back pain, physiotherapy helps in overcoming it. Physiotherapy can be done in case of any drug-related stroke. Physiotherapy is also done to prevent disease. Physiotherapy can be helpful to prevent any bodily hazards for people who work sitting in one place. The duration and the type of therapy differ as per the changes it makes in a person; hence, as in other medical treatments, follow-up is required to ensure its effective application of it.
Some diseases are incurable. Physiotherapy can prevent the health from worsening from the diseases like diabetes and blood pressure. Physiotherapy helps a lot not only in curing the disease but also in prevention.
Physiotherapy to prevent problems
In many countries, physiotherapists are kept in all big companies. Those who sit on desks, or chairs, or those who have to be in the same position for a long time for the activities like reading, working, or carrying bags or loads a long time need guidance from physiotherapists. It also helps the players who have to do various stretching exercises.
Children should also undergo physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is good for children to prevent diseases. If it is to be done for intervention, some children who have crooked legs, drug injuries, Down’s syndrome and various problems after birth have to undergo physiotherapy.
Some children who have a stroke, brain injury, or paralysis recover completely after therapy. Even in the case of an incurable disease, maintenance therapy, or progressive improvement therapy can be very helpful.
Once you start, you don’t have to do it for the rest of your life. There are two types of physiotherapy. Exercise therapy and electrical modality. Electrical modality has to be done in the hospital. Exercise therapy can be done at home. Exercise is always good for us. Physiotherapy is a science-based, medicine-based intervention.
When we come to the patient, after diagnosing the disease, we ask to see what the problem is and apply physiotherapy accordingly. We spend so much time doing these exercises and we guide the maintenance therapy ourselves.
One should not think that once a person starts physiotherapy, s/he has to do it lifelong. Once there is improvement in the situation or the individual’s health returns to normalcy, the therapy can be stopped.
Long-time physiotherapy condition
Like any incurable disease, osteoporosis needs good exercise for a long time. Parkinson’s disease is progressive. This increases physical weakness.
Patients with Parkinson’s should also exercise regularly. If you have had a brain stroke, you will get maximum recovery after a short period of physiotherapy. Physiotherapy can be stopped after achieving maximum recovery.
What a physiotherapy seeker needs to know
Physiotherapy should not be considered as a treatment required for disease and something one should seek when other methods fail. Physiotherapy also occurs in emergencies. Sometimes the case is referred directly from the Emergency Department to Physiotherapy. Physiotherapy is also done in the ICU ward of the hospital.
Physiotherapy is also done at the rehab center. Physiotherapy can be done both at home and the community level. Physiotherapy should be understood as a process of a journey after any problem. An important aspect of physiotherapy is the quality of life.
Physiotherapy helps a lot to lead a comfortable life. This can be done by people of any age group. Some say that physiotherapy is yoga or massage. But, it is not yoga, nor is it a massage but a science-based medical treatment.
This is a cure in itself. Physiotherapy should be taken as medicine. It also has a dose, we plan how much to do at how much velocity. It is planned how many days to do and how many days to follow up. When one comes to follow-up, we look for the impacts is the case improving or deteriorating, in both cases, the physiotherapy doses have to be changed. After looking at everything, we guide the exercises.