A physical therapist is an allied healthcare professional that is aimed toward improving the quality of life of patients. For example, if you have suffered from an illness that has restricted movement, physical therapy can help you get back on your feet and restore your normal activity.
In this article, we shall take a brief look at what physical therapy is and how physical therapy is delivered to the patient.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is a branch of medicine that aims to improve movement of patients in helping them perform day-to-day tasks without any difficulty. Simple activities such as walking on a flat surface or up a flight of stairs can be made easier with physical therapy.
When is Physical Therapy Offered to Patients?
There are numerous situations when physical therapy may form part and parcel of the treatment being offered to patients. For example, if an elderly individual has been admitted to the hospital following a fall, physical therapy can help get them back on their feet and restore their movement.
Physical therapy of course is not just related to movement but can also be related to other aspects of well-being. For example, in individuals with chest infections or chronic lung disease, physical therapy can help get rid of the infected secretions from the chest cavity.
How is Physical Therapy Delivered?
Physical therapy is delivered by physical therapists. Physical therapists are required to undergo rigorous training that can give them the suitable qualifications and expertise in looking after patients with some form of physical difficulty.
Let us take an example. If an individual falls on a road and injures his back, he will require medical therapy, an orthopaedic review and possibly even surgery sometimes. After he has undergone these treatments, he will require some form of therapy to get back on his feet and to his regular activities.
Physical therapists can teach the individual exercises that can strengthen their back and can provide them with tips and strategies on how to perform day-to-day activities without causing too much stress on the back. Over time, these activities can be done painlessly by performing the exercises recommended by the physical therapist on a regular basis.
Physical therapy can also help improve core strength, muscle strength and respiratory capacity. The applications of physical therapy are wide and for this very reason it is now become an integral part of all medical therapies.
Conclusion
Physical therapy is a field of medicine where restoration of normal quality of life is the main aim. It is performed through numerous avenues and requires specialist input from trained individuals called physical therapists.