Rehabilitative Physiotherapy
What is Rehabilitative Physiotherapy?
Rehabilitative physiotherapy serves to improve and restore range of movement after injury or disability. The therapy can be categorised into several specialties each focussed on a different system and each with their own course and treatment plans. The branches of physiotherapy include bones and joints, the nervous system, heart and blood circulation and the lungs, and will treat mobility problems associated with conditions such as back pain, stroke, heart attack and COPD respectively. A physiotherapist will work with the patient to prevent further loss of movement as well as developing exercise programmes and lifestyle changes to restore and maintain functional mobility. A physiotherapist will also help you prevent further injury by improving the safety of your physical activity.
How is the Rehabilitative Physiotherapy procedure performed?
Physiotherapy encompasses a wide range of therapeutic techniques and the specific procedure will depend on the specific mobility issue. At the first appointment, a physiotherapist will take your history and examine the injury to decide what the diagnosis is, and to construct a management plan. Thereafter, a physiotherapist will choose from 3 broad treatment approaches: education, exercise or manual therapy. Often the practitioner may choose multiple approaches, so as to provide a holistic care programme.
Education will involve the physiotherapist treating the whole body and lifestyle, so that the best environment for healing can be created. This can include general advice about your wellbeing, such as exercise programmes and healthy diets, and specific advice that can help reduce your risk of further injury and pain, with direct regard to your normal physical activity. The second approach, exercise, is designed to provide a safe means to improve the strength and range of movement of the affected limb or joint. This can be whole body exercise such as swimming, or specific exercises for the affected part of the body. The final approach is manual therapy and will involve the physiotherapist physically manipulating parts of the body to help mobilise and massage the affected limb or joint. This is used to improve pain, blood circulation and fluid drainage as well as relax the affected part of the body.
Physiotherapist may also choose to try other techniques, such as acupuncture or ultrasound, if appropriate for the condition. These techniques have shown to be effective in some people, but lack the same scientific evidence as the main rehabilitative physiotherapy techniques.
How to prepare for the Rehabilitative Physiotherapy procedure?
The first appointment will involve a holistic assessment of the problem, so you may want to ensure you remember the events surrounding the incident or long-standing problem. It will also involve a physical assessment, so it may be appropriate to wear clothes that allow the affected part of the body to be readily accessible.
What happens after the Rehabilitative Physiotherapy procedure?
After the procedure the practitioner may give you a specific set of exercise activities to do, or advice on how you need to adjust your lifestyle to minimise the risk of further injury. The objective of rehabilitative physiotherapy is safe restoration of mobility and functionality but it is important to remember this may take some time.