When Do You Need Physiotherapy?
Posted on: 18 June 2019
Physiotherapy or physical therapy is a very useful means of helping muscles and joints heal and strengthen. Physical therapy can also improve posture and blood flow, alleviate headaches and help you sleep better! If your doctor has recommended physiotherapy or if you're suffering from chronic aches and pains, you might note some reasons to consider this course of treatment.
What Is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy or physical therapy involves manipulation of the muscles and joints to encourage increased blood flow and muscle relaxation. Physiotherapy might involve light massage, moving limbs into certain positions to stretch the muscles or exercises performed with the aid of the therapist.
Physiotherapy is often recommended after surgery or an accident or injury. Someone with a chronic physical condition such as arthritis also benefits from physical therapy, as do those with balance and coordination issues. Professional athletes also use physical therapy to help their muscles loosen and heal after a game or other strenuous activity.
How Does Physiotherapy Work?
The gentle motions and massage of physiotherapy encourage blood flow to sore and stiff muscles. Blood brings healing oxygen and other vital nutrients to muscles, allowing them to relax while speeding up the healing process. Physiotherapy also works to help muscles rebuild tissue after an injury or surgery.
Some physical therapy sessions might include exercises or physical activity performed under the watchful eye of the therapist. A person with coordination issues or who is struggling to walk or control their movements might relearn balance or muscle control through physical therapy sessions. A physical therapist might also note areas of the body that are not healing as expected after surgery or muscles that have suffered a particular injury, such as during an athletic game or match.
Are You a Candidate for Physiotherapy?
Muscle tension and injury can cause many serious and chronic health conditions. For example, if the muscles in your neck and shoulders are tense, cramped or injured, you might suffer from constant headaches. Poor posture also results in pain up and down the back and along the hips and shoulders. Muscle stiffness and weakness in the knees and hips might create pain when walking or lying down, which then results in consistent insomnia!
If you have muscle pain and stiffness, or if you have balance and coordination issues, physiotherapy is an excellent option. Therapy sessions help muscles to relax and heal and help you to relearn balance and coordination, decreasing pain and increasing your overall quality of life.
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