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What is Physiotherapy and Does it Work For Elderly
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Physiotherapy is a form of physical therapy that helps restore, maintain and maximize a patient’s strength, movement, function, and overall well-being. It can be a critical part of elderly care due to its impact on strengthening cardiac output and reducing blood pressure. The treatment can involve exercises, stretches, massages, and other therapies to help improve mobility, strength, and flexibility.
Physiotherapists deeply understand how the body works and its musculoskeletal conditions. These unique skills help them treat injuries and disabilities, which can be very helpful in elderly care.
What we’ll cover in this article:
- What does Physiotherapy encompass?
- The Right Physiotherapy Exercises
- Physiotherapy Exercise Types
- Stretching exercises.
- Strengthening exercises.
- Proprioception exercises.
- Functional exercises.
- Cardio-vascular exercises.
- What is Physiotherapy used for?
- Bone and joint conditions
- Heart and lung conditions
- Neurological conditions
- Conditions that occur in old age
- Physical Therapy Vs. Physiotherapy: What is the difference?
- Benefits of Physiotherapy
What Does Physiotherapy Encompass?
Physiotherapy includes injury prevention, pain management, physical and neurology rehabilitation, and health and fitness promotion. Physiotherapists work hand in hand with other allied health professionals, like speech therapists and occupational therapists in Malaysia, to provide optimal patient care. The names ‘physical therapy’ and ‘physiotherapy’ confuse many patients as they try to understand what they should sign up for in a clinic. However, there is no difference between the two terms; they can be used as synonyms.
The Right Physiotherapy Exercises
A home exercise prescription is a compulsory part of physiotherapy treatment. The exercises will help you prevent injuries and provide pain relief while focusing on the right goal. Ensure that your physiotherapist creates a regular assessment and treatment plan to avoid mistakes.
The programme should have various types of exercises customized for the specific condition you have. It is vital to ensure that you’re exercising correctly in terms of repetitions, number of sets, rhythm, duration, frequency, and resistance level.
Physiotherapy Exercise Types
Stretching
These exercises are done to improve flexibility. The goal is to pull the original muscle to stretch it, align body parts correctly, and ensure proper breathing during the workout to relax the muscles. These are usually short-duration exercises done over a long period.
Strengthening
These exercises can improve endurance, muscle power, and strength. Strengthening can be done using pulley systems, dumbbells, body weight, elastic bands, or hands-free.
Proprioception
These exercises are recommended when the patient’s awareness of their body movements is slowly reducing. For example, to improve the balance of the lower limb, the patient will be asked to balance on one leg.
Functional Exercises
After a physical injury or a brain injury, moving is no longer easy; functional exercises are prescribed to practise movement daily.
Cardio-Vascular Exercises
These include: running, stationary biking, swimming, and walking, which are necessary to regain your original fitness level. Yoga helps achieve cardiovascular health, mobility, strength, flexibility, and proprioception.
What is Physiotherapy Used for?
The treatment is used for a wide range of conditions which include:
Bone and Joint Conditions
After carefully assessing the medical imaging, physiotherapists assist patients recovering from orthopaedic surgery (surgery to correct deformed or damaged bones). This treatment plan could include electrical stimulation to stimulate muscles and nerves.
Heart and Lung Conditions
Physiotherapists can treat Individuals who have had a heart attack [(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic obstructive airways disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and Cystic fibrosis).
Neurological Conditions
Physiotherapists can also help individuals with brain and nervous system conditions. Some common conditions that require physiotherapy treatment include Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and Spina Bifida.
Conditions that occur in Old Age
As we get old, our bodies become vulnerable to conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Physiotherapy can help patients recovering from hip replacement surgery play a crucial role in their overall health and fitness.
Benefits of Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can help reduce or eliminate pain by using manual therapy techniques such as joint and soft tissue mobilisation, electrical stimulation, taping, ultrasound, massage therapy, dry needling, internal medicine and therapeutic exercise. These techniques can restore the functionality of joints and bones, reducing pain and preventing it from resurfacing.
It can also help save on costs by reducing the need for surgery by improving patient mobility.
Condition | Positive Impact of Physiotherapy |
Using crutches, canes or other assistive devices to walk | Can perform important life activities safely |
Stroke | Strengthen weakened parts of the body and improve gait balance |
Vascular and Diabetic conditions | Control sugar levels and improve the sensation of legs and feet |
Injured sportspersons | Aid in recovery, improve balance and help prevent injuries. Treatment includes sports massage, exercise prescriptions and sports medicine. |
Physiotherapy can also help improve balance and prevent falls by screening for risks and providing exercises that mimic life situations.
Contact our Care Advisors at 1300 22 8822 or drop us a message using the chat box on this page, to find out more about our caregivers and how they can help make life more convenient for your loved ones and you.
First Published on July 5th, 2023