Definition & Outline:
Physical Therapy is a kind of treatment provided by expert professionals who intend to promote, preserve, or restore the well-being of people through Physical Examination, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Patient Education, Physical Intervention, Rehabilitation, Disease Prevention & Health Advancement. Physical Therapists are also recognized as Physiotherapists . Physical Therapy entertains the illnesses or injuries that put a halt to a person's abilities to move & perform daily life activities in their lives. It uses an individual's history & physical diagnosis to arrive at a management plan, and when needed, including the results of studies like X-rays, CT-scan, or MRIs. Electrodiagnostic Testing may also involve prescription or assistance with specific exercises, manual therapy, management, mechanical devices such as education, electrophysical modalities which include Hotness, Coldness, Electricity, Sounds, Radiations, Assistive Devices, Prostheses, Orthoses,& Others. Besides, Physical Therapy aims to avoid the loss of flexibility before hand it emerges by evolving fitness & wellness programs for healthier & more active lifestyles, providing services to people for developing, maintaining & restoring maximum movement as well as functional ability. This involves providing therapeutic treatment where movement & function are susceptible to ageing, injury, disease or environmental factors. Physical therapy is a profession that has specialities like musculoskeletal, orthopaedics, cardiopulmonary, neurology, endocrinology, sports medicine, geriatrics, paediatrics, women's health, wound care & electromyography, etc.
Objectives:
The objectives of Physical Therapy include:
- Preserving the ability to perform daily activities
- Maintaining fitness
- Improving mobility & restoring the use of affected joints
- Increasing strength to support the joints
Functioning:
Physical Therapists are those who improve quality of life through set exercises, hands-on care,& Patient Education. They analyze & treat patients of all ages, from young individuals to elderly individuals or geriatric population. Many patients suffer from injuries, disabilities, or other health conditions that need treatment but Physical Therapists also care for people who simply want to become healthier & to prevent future problems. Physical Therapists observe every patient & then develop a treatment plan for improving their ability to move, reduce or manage pain, restore functioning,& prevent disability. Physical Therapists can have a crucial effect on people’s lives as they help achieve patient’s fitness goals, regain or maintain their health & lead a healthy life.
Framework:
Physical Therapy aims to teach patients the way to do things in a treatment plan– like performing certain exercises, or best use hot & cold compresses. The appointments are generally short & focus on recognizing complications with physical functioning & providing strategies that can be implemented at home. While visiting Physical Therapists, patients should think clearly about the problem they are facing & what benefits would they like to get from Physical Therapy. The objective can be going out without pain, raising the body on toes or using arms to reach stuff in kitchen cabinets, walking or doing work without pain in hips, knees or feet, or even walking or running. A Physical Therapist can develop a plan that is right for patients to achieve these goals.
In most cases, one doesn’t need to see Physical Therapy every week. Periodic visits every few months are enough to see the results. When a patient experiences a change in their health like a flare in arthritis that leads one to fall behind in an exercise program or contribution in a different joint that affects some other area of function – one can return to the Physical Therapist to update the exercise & treatment strategy. The core to an efficient outcome is learning the exercises from a Physical Therapist & working them at home over the long term. Improvement is gradual as the body gets stronger & more proficient slowly over time, therefore, consistent practice is essential.