Common Treatment Techniques in Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a specialty medical practice designed to treat and rehabilitate the body's mobility and function. The intervention to restore the normal muscular and skeletal condition is usually through physical means unlike conventional medicine which uses pharmacological agents. This type of treatment is suitable for you if you have suffered physical trauma due to sports injuries, car accidents and general falls. Physiotherapy is also useful in enhancing the body after diagnosis of diseases and conditions such as stroke, bursitis, respiratory problems, chronic back pain and even incontinence. Here are the main types of physiotherapy treatment that you will receive to ease your pain and rehabilitate the body.
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is a hands-on approach which can be used on any type of pain, condition or injury. The objective of this technique is to decrease the overall body pain, improve muscle and joint flexibility and promote relaxation by reducing strain. Manual therapy encompasses a wide range of tactics so it is an important step in almost every treatment plan. One of the popular processes is massage; pressure is exerted on muscle tissues to increase blood flow, relax muscles and ease general pain. Mobilisation or stretching is used to improve flexibility and body alignment through pulling, twisting and pushing the bones and joints through controlled movements.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy is an ideal physio treatment approach for injuries and conditions which induce swelling and inflammation of the body. This technique relies on application of ice packs on the site of injury and even ice massages. The low temperature causes constriction of the blood vessels which causes the fluid in the injured area to reduce. If applied in time, this treatment technique can prevent inflammation completely. The cold therapy is used in tandem with manual therapy and you can use it at home depending on your therapist's recommendations.
Heat Therapy
Heat therapy is typically used to treat injuries and medical conditions which involve muscle tightness and even spasms. The high temperatures applied during this type of treatment improve the rate of circulation to the affected site. This decreases the pain and promotes healing especially when the injury is directly connected to soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons and general muscles. This technique also improves the mobility which makes manual therapy and physical exercise easier. The common heat therapy modalities include hot packs, diathermy, ultrasound and infrared.
You should consult a physiotherapist from a clinic like Allied Family Healthcare for development of a custom therapy plan. These techniques should not be used blindly because incompatibility can make the injuries and pain worse.