Physiotherapists manage and prevent many physical problems caused by illness, disease, sport and work-related injury, aging and long periods of inactivity. Physiotherapists have advanced understanding of how the body moves, what keeps it from moving well and how to restore mobility.
Physiotherapists are primary care practitioners offering direct access to physiotherapy services without the need for physician referral. It’s important to note that some extended health insurance plans require a physician’s referral in order to re-imburse you for claims.
When you see a physiotherapist, he or she will complete a thorough assessment that may include your health history, evaluation of pain and movement patterns, strength, joint range of motion, reflexes, sensation and cardiorespiratory status.
They will also examine relevant x-rays, laboratory tests, medical records and surgical notes. Based on this assessment, the physiotherapist develops a diagnosis and works in partnership with you to plan individualized goals and treatment programs.
Physiotherapists promote independence , including emphasis on how you can help yourself. For example, you may be shown exercises that you can do between treatment sessions and how to set goals to achieve results. Where appropriate, physiotherapists also advise care-givers on how they can help you.
Some treatment options:
- Strengthening and therapeutic exercise programmes
- Mobility and flexibility improvement
- Improvements in muscle imbalances and alignment
- Balance retraining and movement coordination
- Manual therapy – intervention to reduce pain and stiffness
- Electrical modalities such as TENS (electrical nerve stimulation) or ultrasound
- Gait retraining and general conditioning regimes
- Acupuncture – some specially trained physiotherapists use this technique to help alleviate your pain