Physical therapy is a rehabilitative treatment for illnesses and injuries that limit mobility, and it works for patients in all stages of the healing process. But you can also benefit from treatment from a physio in Brisbane, even when you’re not facing musculoskeletal issues. In fact, this physiotherapist suggests that people with asthma and those preparing for childbirth should sign up for physical therapy sessions.
Does Physio Really Aid Recovery? Aren’t You Supposed to Rest?
Your physician may recommend that you rest after an injury, and that’s all good. But over-resting can cause problems.
Here’s what we mean:
The body is built to move. That’s why you have over 360 joints and 650 skeletal muscles. When you move, these joints exercise, and your heart responds by pumping faster, resulting in quicker breathing. All these things help keep your muscles strong, your joints mobile and improves blood circulation.
Generally speaking, you need to balance between resting and physio to heal your body. Not doing that will result in stiff and weak muscle restoration, and that often ends in re-injury or chronic pain. It might also translate to more downtime or taking addictive pain meds for a longer time than necessary.
What Do Physiotherapists Do?
Physical therapists are healthcare providers who specialize in treating muscle and bone issues. They are extremely trained on several hands-on treatment procedures and have helped millions of people bounce back to normalcy. However, these professionals need to consider many things before choosing a treatment procedure that’s right for a patient. For example, open wounds might not be a good candidate for hydrotherapy because the water might cause discomfort, infections, and other nasty problems.
Here are some of the things to expect from your physiotherapist.
Mobility exercises: These are prescribed to patients with minor injuries or illnesses. They involve slow movements that work towards increasing mobility, improving coordination, and restoring balance. And you can do them from home then report to the clinic a few times each week. The only problem with this exercise is that there’s nobody to make sure you do them properly. So most people skip sessions or don’t do enough, and that impacts the recovery process significantly.
Manual therapy: These are skilled hand movements to improve the range of motion in a joint. This treatment has to happen in the clinic, and sessions are usually one hour long. The therapist uses varying speeds to boost circulation and slowly regain movement in a stiff joint. This process can cause discomfort, but you can cool it off with ice.
Hydrotherapy: This one happens in a shallow pool with warm water and is often used to treat orthopedic and neurological disorders. The warmth causes muscle relaxation, and the water supports most of your weight. That allows patients to do exercises they couldn’t do while out of the water.
Dry needling: Experienced physiotherapists may use dry needling to alleviate pain and stimulate muscle movement. And it is often used to treat stroke patients and people with lower back pain issues. Still, the effectiveness of this method depends on the physiotherapist’s skill level and how your body reacts to the treatment. Then there’s the issue of needle phobia. Some people do not like the idea of having needles stuck in their bodies, even if the result is reduced chronic pain.
Is Physiotherapy Worth It?
Absolutely. Physio has helped millions of patients reduce pain using techniques such as taping, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation. These therapies might be a little uncomfortable in the initial sessions, but they help eliminate all the joint pain in 8 weeks or less.
Physical therapy can also help you avoid surgery. This is particularly important for people with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. With these diseases, surgery is a huge risk that can result in over bleeding while on the operating table. However, physio might not replace surgery in all situations. But you will recover faster if you opt for pre-surgery physiotherapy.
Physio is also the solution to most mobility issues. You can easily regain muscle and bone movement after a terrible accident. This has happened so many times, even after physicians told patients that walking again would be a miracle. But with a good backbone, a sense of commitment, and the right physiotherapist, you can jump back on your two feet in no time.
Besides recovery, you can also use physio to prevent injuries. This is especially important for people in sports, those with chronic ailments, and those with a history of injuries
