Physiotherapy is both a curative and preventive discipline. A physiotherapist is healer, architect and psychoanalyst rolled into one.

He or she advises people on the correct posture to sit, sleep and work. For people with special needs—like a wheelchair-bound person—he helps design the house/workplace so that the patient becomes independent in day-to-day chores.

As a psychoanalyst the physiotherapist ensures that the patient’s initial despair is replaced by realistic hope.

In the West, physiotherapy is an integral part of health care. In India too, with the services available in hospitals, nursing homes and specialized pain and rehabilitation clinics, people are increasingly adopting this drugless therapy for pain management.

The cases treated through Physiotherapy range from postural problems to paralysis, cerebral palsy in children, muscle and joints pain, nerve injuries, post-accident trauma, post-burn complications, pre and postnatal conditions and breathing problems, among others.

Owing to age-related joint pains and dysfunctions, old people often require a physiotherapist’s advice to prevent injuries and chest complications and to ease movement and increase functional capacity.

In sports, good physical and mental health is paramount. Pulled hamstrings, shoulder, wrist, back, knee or ankle injuries and sprains are some of the problems that regularly require a physiotherapist’s attention.

Besides relieving pain, a physiotherapist devises strategies to avoid injuries and maintain the joints, soft tissues and overall posture in a good state.

Physiotherapy techniques

By using a number of different approaches and techniques, a physiotherapist can help a person overcome injury or short-term health problems, or manage long-term disability.

Physiotherapists use a wide range of techniques and approaches, including:

• Massage and Manipulation, using the hands to relieve muscle pain and stiffness and encourage blood flow to an injured part of the body to help recovery
• Heat, cold, electric current, light and water known as Electrotherapy
• Remedial exercise (exercise that takes into account a person’s current level of health and any specific requirements they may have)
• providing support to help patients manage chronic condition

Movement is fundamental to our lives and when our movement is limited by pain or restriction, whether it’s from an injury, a faulty movement pattern or a condition that’s been with you since birth, life and its enjoyment becomes limited and restricted.

Physiotherapists are often referred to as movement specialists, and aim to help your joints and muscles work to their full potential to have smooth movement.

By Dr.Vyom Bolia

Consultant Physiotherapist & Yoga Specialist, 

Healthline Advanced Physiotherapy Centre, Fatehpura.