Who Is a Physiotherapist?
Physiotherapists are integral members of the multidisciplinary team who assess and treat people with a variety of acute and chronic health concerns. They use physical means to restore or re-educate movement and function. Physiotherapists are committed healthcare professionals who participate in life-long learning and continuing education, research and clinical studies and are active in the education of students, staff and the community.
Referrals and inquiries should be sent directly to the appropriate service area.
What does physical therapist (PT) do?
The Physical Therapist assists the patient in the movement restoration. His tasks include the following:
Physiotherapists may work in hospitals, private practices or with the social services. Working with the social services, for example, they provide care in the community for elderly people. Of late, people are increasingly resorting to physical therapy treatment as a holistic healing method to achieve a healthier life.
Find Out More about Preventive Physiotherapy.
History of Physical Therapy
Physicians like Hippocrates and later Galenus are believed to have been the first practitioners of physiotherapy, advocating massage, manual therapy techniques and hydrotherapy to treat people in 460 B.C. The earliest documented origins of actual physiotherapy as a professional group, however, date back to 1894 when four nurses in Great Britain formed the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Other countries soon followed and started formal training programs, such as the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago in New Zealand in 1913, and the United States' 1914 Reed College in Portland, Oregon, which graduated "reconstruction aides."
Physical therapy practice in the United States evolved around two major historical events: the poliomyelitis epidemics of the 1800s through the 1950s and the effects of the ravages of several wars. Marguerite Sanderson and Mary McMillan were the first two individuals involved in the training of "reconstruction aides" responsible for caring for those individuals wounded in World War I.
Research catalyzed the physical therapy movement. The first physical therapy research was published in the United States in March 1921 in The PT Review. In the same year, Mary McMillan organized the Physical Therapy Association (now called the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)). In 1924, the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation promoted the field by touting physical therapy as a treatment for Polio.Poliomyelitis raged throughout the country in the 1920s and 1930s. The primary modes of treatment were isolation, immobilization, splinting, bed rest, and later surgery. During World War II, drastic improvements in medical management and surgical techniques led to increasing numbers of survivors with disabling ivar wounds. In 1940, Sister Elizabeth Kenny brought her treatment techniques for the management of patients with poliomyelitis to the United States.
Treatment through the 1940s primarily consisted of exercise, massage, and traction. Manipulative procedures to the spine and extremity joints began to be practiced, especially in the British Commonwealth countries, in the early 1950s. Later that decade, physical therapists started to move beyond hospital based practice, to outpatient orthopedic clinics, public schools, college/universities, geriatric settings (skilled nursing facilities), rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and medical centers.
Specialization for physical therapy in the U.S. occurred in 1974, with the Orthopaedic Section of the APTA being formed for those physical therapists specializing in Orthopaedics. In the same year, the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy was formed, which has played an important role in advancing manual therapy worldwide ever since.
In the United States the physiotherapy profession has transitioned to doctoral education and the attributes of a doctoring profession.
ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY
Physiotherapy is dedicated to the restoration of the human function which has been impaired due to disease, trauma or injury. It is practiced in India since the last fifty years. It plays a big role in preventive aspects and pain management.
Physiotherapy dates back to 250 AD, when gold fish-electric fish was used for pain relief in gout and headache cases. Physiotherapists today use certain type of currents to give pain relief.
In prehistoric era, buddhists and hindus recognised "pain as a sensation" but gave greater importance to its emotional aspects. Non-invasive methods were used for pain relief. Today's physiotherapists also use non-invasive, electro-therapy modalities for pain relief.
Physiotherapy is "tending to the cure or providing relief from disease or injury." It involves rehabilitating the patient from "bed to job".
Be it acute or intensive care, respiratory and cardiac rehabilitation, pain management, Arthritis, headache, post-operative pain, heel pain, fitness, or sports injury, physiotherapy has a role to play in restoring the patient to normalcy or atleast a functional capacity.
Physiotherapy Today:
Physiotherapy today is an independent health care profession for all the age groups from neonatal to geriatrics. (from birth to old age.)
The task of early intervention in neonatal cases is taken over by a physiotherapist, new born babies with birth defects are evaluated and treated, which helps in minimizing disabilities and helps in early ambulation.
Women's wellness, maintaining healthy lifestyle after menopause needs attention.
Common problems are: obesity, Arthritis, incontinence of urine, fatigue, aches & pains in joints etc
Pain management in acute & chronic cases are managed by physiotherapists.
Sports physiotherapy is becoming popular amongst the young physios. In fact special post-graduate courses are conducted by the association, to promote this new emerging avenue of physiotherapy.
Industrial physiotherapy deals with ergonomics and safety measures. Guidance on work positions etc. is given by physiotherapists.
Manipulative Therapy is gaining momentum due to its instant relief in pain and increase in range of motion. Special training is required before practicing this technique.
All these have gained immense popularity for today's Physiotherapists.
Physiotherapy Tomorrow:
There is scope for physiotherapy even in space, where there is a high possibility of gravity related injury.
Backpain, muscle strain and headache is common in space-craft. Micro-gravity induces calcium loss from bones. Assessment of the limbs or back are difficult in space.
The future of physiotherapy for the astronauts in space is promising. Physiotherapists can help "body positioning", and exercises for micro-gravity posture.
Aims of Physiotherapy:
1. To relieve pain and spasm.
2. To improve range of motion and mobility.
3. To prevent stiffness and contractures.
4. To teach ergonomics and self help care.
5. To prevent frequent falls in elderly persons.
6. To improve strength and co-ordination
Referrals and inquiries should be sent directly to the appropriate service area.
What does physical therapist (PT) do?
The Physical Therapist assists the patient in the movement restoration. His tasks include the following:
- Muscle strength evaluation and quantification.
- Exercises to maintain and increase joint range of motion.
- Evaluate and train sitting and standing balance.
- Exercises to increase strength, endurance and coordination for other specific muscle groups or the entire body.
- Use various physical therapy modalities such as both superficial and deep heat and cold as well as hydrotherapy techniques, electrical stimulation, traction, and massage for pain relief.
- Aid in home evaluation to make the environment barrier free and accessible.
- Assess the patient's wheelchair needs, including maintenance and assist with individualized wheelchair prescriptions.
- Progressive gait training with or without ambulatory aids.
- Exercises to reduce spasticity.
Physiotherapists may work in hospitals, private practices or with the social services. Working with the social services, for example, they provide care in the community for elderly people. Of late, people are increasingly resorting to physical therapy treatment as a holistic healing method to achieve a healthier life.
Find Out More about Preventive Physiotherapy.
History of Physical Therapy
Physicians like Hippocrates and later Galenus are believed to have been the first practitioners of physiotherapy, advocating massage, manual therapy techniques and hydrotherapy to treat people in 460 B.C. The earliest documented origins of actual physiotherapy as a professional group, however, date back to 1894 when four nurses in Great Britain formed the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Other countries soon followed and started formal training programs, such as the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago in New Zealand in 1913, and the United States' 1914 Reed College in Portland, Oregon, which graduated "reconstruction aides."
Physical therapy practice in the United States evolved around two major historical events: the poliomyelitis epidemics of the 1800s through the 1950s and the effects of the ravages of several wars. Marguerite Sanderson and Mary McMillan were the first two individuals involved in the training of "reconstruction aides" responsible for caring for those individuals wounded in World War I.
Research catalyzed the physical therapy movement. The first physical therapy research was published in the United States in March 1921 in The PT Review. In the same year, Mary McMillan organized the Physical Therapy Association (now called the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)). In 1924, the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation promoted the field by touting physical therapy as a treatment for Polio.Poliomyelitis raged throughout the country in the 1920s and 1930s. The primary modes of treatment were isolation, immobilization, splinting, bed rest, and later surgery. During World War II, drastic improvements in medical management and surgical techniques led to increasing numbers of survivors with disabling ivar wounds. In 1940, Sister Elizabeth Kenny brought her treatment techniques for the management of patients with poliomyelitis to the United States.
Treatment through the 1940s primarily consisted of exercise, massage, and traction. Manipulative procedures to the spine and extremity joints began to be practiced, especially in the British Commonwealth countries, in the early 1950s. Later that decade, physical therapists started to move beyond hospital based practice, to outpatient orthopedic clinics, public schools, college/universities, geriatric settings (skilled nursing facilities), rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and medical centers.
Specialization for physical therapy in the U.S. occurred in 1974, with the Orthopaedic Section of the APTA being formed for those physical therapists specializing in Orthopaedics. In the same year, the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy was formed, which has played an important role in advancing manual therapy worldwide ever since.
In the United States the physiotherapy profession has transitioned to doctoral education and the attributes of a doctoring profession.
ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY
Physiotherapy is dedicated to the restoration of the human function which has been impaired due to disease, trauma or injury. It is practiced in India since the last fifty years. It plays a big role in preventive aspects and pain management.
Physiotherapy dates back to 250 AD, when gold fish-electric fish was used for pain relief in gout and headache cases. Physiotherapists today use certain type of currents to give pain relief.
In prehistoric era, buddhists and hindus recognised "pain as a sensation" but gave greater importance to its emotional aspects. Non-invasive methods were used for pain relief. Today's physiotherapists also use non-invasive, electro-therapy modalities for pain relief.
Physiotherapy is "tending to the cure or providing relief from disease or injury." It involves rehabilitating the patient from "bed to job".
Be it acute or intensive care, respiratory and cardiac rehabilitation, pain management, Arthritis, headache, post-operative pain, heel pain, fitness, or sports injury, physiotherapy has a role to play in restoring the patient to normalcy or atleast a functional capacity.
Physiotherapy Today:
Physiotherapy today is an independent health care profession for all the age groups from neonatal to geriatrics. (from birth to old age.)
The task of early intervention in neonatal cases is taken over by a physiotherapist, new born babies with birth defects are evaluated and treated, which helps in minimizing disabilities and helps in early ambulation.
Women's wellness, maintaining healthy lifestyle after menopause needs attention.
Common problems are: obesity, Arthritis, incontinence of urine, fatigue, aches & pains in joints etc
Pain management in acute & chronic cases are managed by physiotherapists.
Sports physiotherapy is becoming popular amongst the young physios. In fact special post-graduate courses are conducted by the association, to promote this new emerging avenue of physiotherapy.
Industrial physiotherapy deals with ergonomics and safety measures. Guidance on work positions etc. is given by physiotherapists.
Manipulative Therapy is gaining momentum due to its instant relief in pain and increase in range of motion. Special training is required before practicing this technique.
All these have gained immense popularity for today's Physiotherapists.
Physiotherapy Tomorrow:
There is scope for physiotherapy even in space, where there is a high possibility of gravity related injury.
Backpain, muscle strain and headache is common in space-craft. Micro-gravity induces calcium loss from bones. Assessment of the limbs or back are difficult in space.
The future of physiotherapy for the astronauts in space is promising. Physiotherapists can help "body positioning", and exercises for micro-gravity posture.
Aims of Physiotherapy:
1. To relieve pain and spasm.
2. To improve range of motion and mobility.
3. To prevent stiffness and contractures.
4. To teach ergonomics and self help care.
5. To prevent frequent falls in elderly persons.
6. To improve strength and co-ordination