What is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy (PT) is considered a conservative treatment method addressing the treatment, healing, and prevention of injuries and disabilities. Physiotherapists focus primarily, but not solely, on relieving pain, promoting healing, restoring function and movement, and facilitation and adaptation associated with injury. Therapy also focuses on ergonomics or body mechanic training, fitness and wellness and, especially education. This area of physiotherapy includes posture, stabilization and building strength in the weakened area, and to prevent additional injury.

What can a Physiotherapy program do for me?
Many patients may think that they know how to properly exercise, manage their pain and rehabilitate themselves. Patients commonly give therapists reasons why they do not need therapy - for example, "I have had this before and I know what works for me" or, "I know what is causing this because my neighbor had the same thing, so I will just do what she did" and attempt to self-manage their condition.

A Physiotherapist is a specialist specifically educated and skilled in proper rehabilitation. Physiotherapists are continually educated as to management for different dysfunctions, differentiation of one dysfunction/injury from another and work closely with the referring physician in the development of a rehabilitation program specifically designed for each individual patient.

The other important aspect to remember with physiotherapy is that each individual is different. We all have different types of bodies, different patterns of movement, different alignments and different habits. A physiotherapist, along with trained staff, monitor each individual and attempt to correct improper habits, alignments and movement patterns.

Most important with therapy is education. Due to healthcare guidelines and reimbursement changes, your physician may not have the time needed to explain exactly what your injury/dysfunction/disability is and why/how it occurred. Your therapist specializes in this and many times will be the one to educate you on the specifics of your problem and what the course of action will be to correct it and hopefully prevent it from reoccurring. PT focuses on education, correction, and prevention.

How long is Physiotherapy going to take?
This is a popular question. Everyone has other priorities in their day and life. Exercise and therapy can sometimes seem an imposition. The patient has to remember that recovery from injury can be much more time consuming than prevention. Each person's degree of injury is different and will experience a different rate of recovery. In most cases, your therapist will have an idea as to your personal rate of healing within two weeks. Other factors that play into healing progression and rate of recovery are patient compliance and dedication. Therapists are healers and teachers. However, if the lessons, which we teach, are not practiced and learned, the rate of healing or re-injury is affected.

Who benefits from Physiotherapy?
Many and all can benefit from therapy. As an active therapist, I work out and am always observing others. I very rarely come across individuals with perfect body mechanics, training techniques, or movement patterns. This is where wellness comes into play. Typically the most appropriate patients are those who have been in accidents (work-related, automobile, or falls), athletes with overstress injuries, arthritic patients, pre and post-operative patients, and those with general deconditioning, or strains.

What will I have to do in Physiotherapy?
Therapy generally encompasses pain relief, strength and flexibility training, proper postural alignment, regaining movement or range of motion, improving and correcting posture, endurance training, relaxation and stress relieving techniques, balance and coordination training, proper walking, education, safety awareness, and development, and implementation of a home exercise program.

Physiotherapy is Worth Your Effort
Remember that each individual is different. Your rehabilitation or PT experience will be individual. Be patient with yourself, your physician and your physiotherapy staff. Healing takes time, diligence and compliance. If you think you may be a candidate for physiotherapy, speak to your physician or therapist.