Improving common ailments
As a branch of rehabilitative health, physical therapy, or physiotherapy, serves as a practice to restore or improve mobility and can be an alternative to surgery or other medical treatments. Patients often see a physical therapist for a variety of reasons, most of which elicit painful or debilitating symptoms.
The American Physical Therapy Association lists several common ailments that can often be improved by physiotherapy such as arthritis, back, knee and shoulder pain, osteoporosis, stroke and sprains and fractures. The rehabilitation is also used to for preventative measures as well, especially for those who participate in sports or everyday activities.
“[Physical therapy] can be used for anyone who has an injury or illness that results in physical impairment or loss of function,” said Nick Huckaby, physical therapist and manager of the Rehab Service line at CHRISTUS Schumpert Health System. “Physical therapy treats individuals across the entire lifespan, from pediatrics, to the elderly or athletes, regardless of age.”
Huckaby said that in addition to common physical ailments such as injury or physical conditions, physical therapy can also treat respiratory problems or poor cardiovascular endurance, pre- and post-partum issues, wound care such as diabetic wounds or non-healing traumatic or post-surgical wounds or cancer recovery.
Physical therapists are trained in understanding human body movement and the four major body systems of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary, and integumentary. They’re also available in many different settings to accommodate each patient’s circumstance, including home health agencies, school and work environments and nursing homes. Because of the physicality of the symptoms, accessibility is a crucial element in receiving treatment.
“Physical therapy uses non-invasive and non-medical tools to help improve total body function,” Huckaby said. “Physical therapists focus on relieving pain, promoting healing, restoring function and movement, prevent disability, and facilitation and adaptation associated with injury. Therapy also focuses on ergonomics or body mechanics training, tness and wellness.”
One of the most common factors associated with physical therapy deals with pain and pain management. The International Association for the Study of Pain cites physical therapy as a vital component to effective pain management in a person-centered rehabilitation program. Lower back pain is another common ailment in which physiotherapy aims to treat. Specific exercises centered around neutralizing and mobilizing the spine throughout the day and alleviating pain are common, according to the APTA. Many other conditions elicit symptoms of pain, including heart disease. Heart disease contributes to tendinitis, osteoarthritis and in ammatory joint problems. The American Heart Association encourages those suffering from painful side effects of heart disease to see a physical therapist for an initial treatment plan. The AHA cites that physiotherapy treatment programs can sometimes be an alternative to prescription medication.
Many variations of physical therapy exist to treat the array of physical conditions affecting a patient. Manual, or massage therapy, is performed with the hands without any other devices or machines. Pressure applied to the soft tissues of the body such as the muscles can relax the target area, improve circulation and ease pain. Other techniques of manual physiotherapy utilize pressure and movement of the muscles and joints to achieve pain relief or improve mobilization or alignment.
“[Manual therapy] uses the application of hands to promote relaxation, less pain, more exibility with techniques of massage of the soft tissue and mobilization or manipulation of the spine,” Huckaby said.
Hydrotherapy, or aquatic therapy, is a technique of physical therapy that uses water, either to exercise in or to use for the care and healing for soft tissue. Water offers a variety of bene ts in its use in physiotherapy. In exercise, it can take the weight off of the area experiencing pain and also provide resistance. It helps with blood ow and can be used in different forms such as ice or steam, both used in alleviating bothersome symptoms.
“[Aquatic therapy] can utilize the resistance of water instead of weights; it aims to rehabilitate patients after injury or those with chronic illness with allowing decreased amount of weight to be placed on the joints as compared to exercise outside of the water,” Huckaby said.
Other techniques of physical therapy include lymphatic drainage, which Huckaby described as a way to perform a special form of massage, wrapping techniques or apply pneumatic pumps to reduce swelling if the lymphatic system is not properly draining uids from the body’s tissues. Physiotherapy is also used as a tool in women’s health, working on exercises to help control urinary incontinence or to relieve pelvic pain.
The best treatment plan or technique of physical therapy should be discussed with a primary physician or physical therapist. The practice can allow for a non-invasive alternative in treating a wide variety of ailments and physical conditions, using techniques that all aim toward improving a quality to life.
