PHYSIOTHERAPY

PHYSIOTHERAPY

Physiotherapy (also known as physical therapy) is a health profession concerned with and the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of disease and disability through physical means.

 It is based upon principles of medical science, and is generally held to be within the sphere of conventional (rather than alternative) medicine.

ROLE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY

1. It provides psychological support for the patient in depression.

2. It is useful in treating psychosomatic conditions.

3. It helps in treating deformities and making the functionally independent.

4. It plays a major role in treating neuro-muscular disorders.

5. It improves the walking abilities.

6. It relieves the pain, spasm etc.

PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT

1. To relieve pain and spasm.

2. To increase joint range of motion.

3. To reduce the stiffness or contractures.

4. To improve muscle power.

5. To prevent deformities.

6. To relieve from spasticity.

7. To remove the secretions from the lungs.

8. To improve the breathing capacity.

9. To improve the aerobic capacity.

10. Improve gait pattern etc.

Methods and effects:

1. Heat therapy: By heating tissues there will be rise in the temperature and increase in the metabolitic activity. As a result of increase in the metabolism there is an increased demand for oxygen and foodstuffs, and an increased output of waste products. There is blood flow to the part. All these physiological effects can be used to relieve the pain and spasm by increasing the circulation and carrying the waste products. e.g. superficial heating modalities are wax bath, Hydrocollateral packs etc. Deep heating modalities are SWD, IFT etc.

2. Cryotherapy: The initial of skin to collng is vasoconstriction of blood vessels which is useful in reducing the inflammation. Cryotherapy also helps in reducing the spasticity by reducing the nerve conduction velocity of muscle spindles. It also reduces pain by stimulating cold receptors which inhibits pain carrying fibers.

3. Ultra Violet radiation thrapy is used to control skin diseases.

4. Breathing exercises and postural drainage are used to reduce secretions and improve breathing capacity.

5. Passive and active exercises are used to increase joint ROM, deformities by preventing adhesion formation and maintaining circulation.

6. Resisted exercises to improve strength: To improve muscle strength resisted exercises can be given with the help springs, pulleys, weights etc.

7. Gait training to improve gait: after any musculoskeletal and neurological deficits the patient tends to develop abnormal gait. To correct this we have teach gait training to the patient by using assistive devices such as crutches, frames, orthotics etc.

These are some of the means of physiotherapy. There are so many other uses which be dealt later in the text.