Most people regard Physiotherapy as a treatment reserved for those with injury or pain. While it certainly assists with these conditions and many others, physiotherapy has a wide range of benefits that can help anybody. It’s an effective therapy suitable for all ages, helping you to feel your best from the inside out so you can perform at your best, both physically and mentally.
This blog discusses the top ten ways physiotherapy can benefit you, regardless of your age or ability. For further advice or to book a physiotherapy appointment, contact our friendly and helpful team at StudioXPhys today.
The Top Ten Ways Physiotherapy Can Benefit You
Whether you’re dealing with pain, experiencing a chronic condition, or just not feeling like the best version of yourself, physiotherapy can help in so many ways! A physiotherapist will conduct an assessment of your condition, taking the entirety of your body into account. With regular physiotherapy sessions, you can typically expect to see benefits such as:
Reduction in Pain
Manual therapy techniques used in physiotherapy such as joint mobilisation and soft tissue massage can assist in reducing pain all throughout the body. Pain can be the result of an injury, chronic condition, illness, or even the way you move throughout your day. For example, office workers in particular tend to have shoulder and/or neck pain from sitting and using a computer for most of the day.
In addition to other techniques, a physiotherapist can also use heat packs, which improve circulation, and cold packs, which reduce inflammation. Whether your pain has been around for years or has just started, seeing a physiotherapist is a great first step on your healing journey.
Improved Mobility and Range of Motion
It’s well known that as we age, we tend to become less flexible. However, this isn’t restricted to just older people. Regardless of your age, physiotherapy can assist with mobility issues such as difficulty walking, standing, or moving around. A physiotherapist can lead you through stretching and strengthening exercises, and teach them to you so you can perform them at home outside of your sessions.
Recovery From Injury
Whether it’s old or new, any injury can be distressing and interrupt your daily functioning. Those old injuries may be healed, but they can still affect your ability to move easily and without pain. Sometimes an injury from years ago that has healed can still affect your day to day life, for instance flaring up when it’s about to rain. With manual therapies like massage and stretching or treatments including ultrasound, taping, or electrical stimulation, physiotherapy can be of great help.
Avoid or Aid in Surgery
Nobody wants to go through surgery, and sometimes this can be avoided by undergoing physiotherapy instead. As with anything else this varies depending on your personal circumstances, and your physiotherapist will advise you of their opinion. For conditions and injuries that can benefit from physiotherapy alone, this will reduce your need for surgery.
Even for situations that do require surgery, physiotherapy before and/or after surgery can be extremely helpful. Pre-surgery physical therapy allows you to go into surgery stronger, which often helps you to recover faster.
Prevent Injuries
Whether you’re a star athlete or more of a daily-walk-around-the-block type, physiotherapists understand the risks behind the physical activity you do. With this and an assessment of factors such as your gait, a physiotherapist will be able to design injury prevention exercise programs so that your chances of injury remain as low as possible.
Manage Women’s Health Issues
Women have specific health concerns such as in pregnancy and post-partum recovery. There are physiotherapists that focus on particular issues, for example a pelvic floor physical therapist can assist with women’s health conditions like a weak pelvic floor, urinary incontinence, and pelvic pain.
Diabetes Management
Following a diabetes diagnosis, you will have a diabetes management plan which can include physiotherapy. Exercise can help to control blood sugar, and a physiotherapist can help you with those exercises and teach you how to do them at home. Additionally, some people with diabetes may have issues regarding sensation in their legs and feet. Physiotherapists can help by providing education on proper foot care, which may prevent further problems in the future.
Reducing Fall Risk and Improving Balance
If you’re experiencing dizziness or vertigo, you’re at greater risk of having a fall. Problems with the vestibular system can cause balance issues, however in many cases a physiotherapist can help by providing treatments to restore proper vestibular functioning. They can also provide safe and effective exercises that build up your muscles to improve your balance and coordination.
Heart and Lung Disease Management
After a cardiac arrest or heart procedure, you may complete cardiac rehabilitation. If your daily functioning is affected, this rehabilitation can also include physiotherapy. For those with pulmonary issues, a physiotherapist can help by clearing fluid in the lungs and prescribing strengthening, conditioning, and breathing exercises.
Assist in Stroke Recovery
After a stroke, it’s common to lose some degree of function or movement. A Physiotherapist can help to strengthen weakened parts of the body that have been affected. They can also help to increase your ability to move around in bed, allowing you to be more independent.
Looking For a Physiotherapist in Mudgeeraba or on Hope Island?
If you’ve been considering physiotherapy as an option for your pain or chronic condition, we hope this article helped to explain the great benefits of physiotherapy. At Studio X Phys, we treat each client like the individual they are to best achieved the desired outcome. Whether you’re recovering from a sports injury, experience chronic pain, or just aren’t feeling your physical best, we can help you get you moving again.
To get started with our physiotherapy team, give us a call today.
