Physical Therapy

Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, provides treatment to individuals to establish, maintain and restore function and mobility.

Physical therapy does improve the quality of life by decreasing pain, spasm, and breaking scars and adhesions. It addresses the physical, psychological, emotional, and social well being. A licensed therapist usually undergoes very assertive and aggressive schooling and meets several criteria to obtain a license to practice in a particular state. These therapists usually take the full history and physical and examine the patient to have a baseline level of function and see what the patient can and cannot do. Based on that, they decide what regimen and course of therapy sessions needs to be done. The therapist may need special diagnostics to arrive to a particular clinical conclusion. The physician usually asks the therapist to address issue in question.

Physical therapy has many subspecialties including cardiac, pulmonary, geriatrics, neurological, orthopedic and pediatrics. Occasionally, the therapist functions in un-orthodox locations such as a nursing home or a hospice, to get the job done. In most cases, the therapist practice out of a facility that is private or public, a hospital or a facility.

The role of therapy is essential, related or non-related to surgery. There are studies that point to the superior role of supervised professional physical therapy over the role of back surgeries. In other words, back surgery may not bee needed if you follow the recommendations of the therapist. The therapist is not to be with the patient all the time, therefore, it is advised that patients continue with the same recommended therapy movement and range of motions at their homes. In addition, insurance companies will not allow undetermined time length for therapy. They will pay for certain maximum number of sessions only.

The therapist may opt to do joint manipulation. It is a type of passive motion of skeletal joint. It is usually aims at improvement in the function of a synovial joint.

The role of occupational therapy is also important. It is a profession conce
ed with promoting health and well-being through occupation. It enables individuals, groups and communities to participate in activities which are meaningful to them, reflect their beliefs and values, and produce a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction (This paragraph is from Wikipedia).