General Physiotherapy
What Is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a health science that uses a variety of approaches to improve physical health, function, and quality of life. Whether it’s optimizing a return to sports or work, or reducing pain in daily activities, physiotherapists promote active therapy to empower patients and help them become more independent in their daily lives. They use various methods, and each one specializes in different areas to offer care to a wider range of people.
Why Should You Consult a Physiotherapist?
There are many reasons to consult a physiotherapist. Whether it’s for injury prevention, following a trauma, before or after surgery, to improve physical health, or to heal an old or recent injury, physiotherapists can make a big difference in their patients’ quality of life.
Examples of Problems Treated by Physiotherapists in Clinics:
- Back and neck pain
- Ligament sprains/instability
- Peripheral nervous system problems
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Capsulitis
- Tendinopathy
- Osteoarthritis and disc degeneration/herniation
- Concussion
- Pain in pregnant women
- Incontinence
- Chronic pain
- Jaw pain
How Does a Physiotherapy Evaluation Appointment Work?
First, the physiotherapist performs a subjective assessment of the patient, asking a number of questions related to the trauma, injury history, symptoms and their evolution since onset.
The physiotherapist then assesses the various objective aspects of the patient’s injury, such as peripheral and central nervous system integrity, joint mobility, muscle strength, muscle control, muscle tension, joint stability and neural mobility, among others.
At the end of the session, the physiotherapist explains their analysis of the assessment and provides a treatment plan, taking into account the patient’s situation (return to work, return to sport, etc.). A patient-specific exercise program is also provided. Finally, when time allows, the physiotherapist begins treatment using the various techniques learned, which will be applied in greater depth during subsequent treatment sessions.
In short, physiotherapy is an approach for assessing and treating many disabling conditions.