Most people seek physiotherapy after an injury or after undergoing surgery. Both of these can cause patients to suffer because of the damage to their bodies, which can restrict their movements. Injuries will often cause your muscles, ligaments and tendons to feel restricted and physiotherapy can help restore your mobility so that you can move comfortably again.
Physiotherapy is effective but most people do not realize that it is often a continuous process and not something that’s done in a few weeks or months. In many cases, physiotherapy may be required indefinitely in order for the patient to live pain-free, so the process is one that continuously needs to be worked on.
If you pursue physiotherapy for your chronic conditions, your physiotherapist can also help in other areas of your life. This includes teaching you different mobility exercises to do at home, fall prevention strategies to keep you as safe as possible, muscle strengthening routines, balance training, education, and stretching.
Chronic conditions and maintenance physiotherapy generally require lifelong physiotherapy. Chronic conditions mean physiotherapy is required for medical conditions as opposed to an injury and maintenance physiotherapy is for those who continue to suffer from injuries that have not properly or completely healed. Chronic conditions include diabetes and arthritis, and physiotherapy can help with these issues by reducing the patient’s pain.
A lot of people do not associate physiotherapy to these conditions but it is a very effective treatment that is definitely worth trying, especially if other methods have failed to provide you with results. Those who have diabetes can benefit from physiotherapy because it would help with weight management, blood pressure and cholesterol. Those who have arthritis would benefit from physiotherapy because it would help keep your muscles and joints moving while reducing inflammation. Physiotherapy also reduces stiffness and encourages the production of natural painkilling chemicals found in our bodies, so those with chronic pain would greatly benefit from this treatment as well. It will also help you regain your balance and keep the affected muscles loose for a larger range of motion.
Maintenance physiotherapy is different because it focuses on injuries that have not fully healed. Some patients feel fine for a certain period of time but experience worse pain as the years go by, and physiotherapy can help in this regard. Ankle sprains, for example, may not seem all that serious and a lot of people rest at home until they feel better but realize the pain is still there afterwards. An improperly healed ankle sprain cannot always be noticed but will become more problematic and painful over time, and maintenance physiotherapy can be used to prevent the situation from getting worse.
These are just a few examples of how physiotherapy is a continuous process. If you complete these treatment sessions regularly, you will experience positive changes and will be able to improve your quality of life. This is especially true when other methods of treatments have failed, so the next time you experience pain, remember that physiotherapy is not always a temporary treatment and can be used long-term.
Core Physical Care is a physiotherapy clinic that can help you regain your strength and balance while also reducing the pain you feel. Whether you need in-home physiotherapy or aqua therapy, we do it all, so if you are in the Toronto area and want more information, give us a call now!