The field of physiotherapy has a long and fascinating history which not many of us know about. For instance, did you know that physiotherapy dates back all the way to 460 BC when it was practiced by Hippocrates, the famous physician from whom the Hippocratic Oath originates? Physiotherapy is actually a unique combination of exercise, advice, and manual therapy which has been designed to cure and treat a wide selection of illness and injuries in the musculoskeletal system. If you have back pain, neck pain, strains and sprains, tears in your muscle, joint pain, sciatica, and even headaches, you may benefit from physiotherapy Brisbane treatment. But what should you really expect from such a treatment? Here’s what you should know.
The basics of physiotherapy
The treatment in physiotherapy comes in various forms and methods, which include stretches and exercises, massage, manual joint manipulation, and even ultrasound. A physiotherapist often combines any one of these treatments or methods over a number of sessions, depending on your condition. A first assessment will be performed by the physiotherapist in order to determine your condition, but some standard conditions which can be addressed by physiotherapy include sciatica as well as arthritis, osteoporosis, post-op rehabilitation, and more.
The first assessment
At the first session, the physiotherapist will try to understand where your discomfort and pain are coming from; they will provide you with a complete examination to determine this. You will also be asked questions regarding the general state of your health as well as your medical history. For the first assessment, you should wear comfortable and loose clothing, and the physiotherapist may ask you to do several exercises or movements to help them assess your mobility level, as confirmed by the physiotherapists from Dyer St Chiropractic, which also offers physiotherapy in Cirencester. Other tests which may be performed include nerve and reflex testing, or the physiotherapist can ask you to walk a certain distance to see if your condition has any effect on your stride or gait. After these tests, the physiotherapist may outline a plan of treatment, and the number of physiotherapy sessions you need will depend on your overall condition.
Different forms of treatment
As mentioned, physiotherapy can involve several treatment methods, which include massage, stretches, exercises, and more. In massage, the soft tissues of the body can be manually manipulated, and this includes muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Massage can also give you relief from tension and soreness and stiffness of muscles and help reduce the retention of fluid inside bodily tissues, which can develop after an operation or injury. You can also go through various stretches and exercises which are designed to build up your strength as well as mobility.
The truth is, many people have benefited from physiotherapy for years – and you can easily benefit from it as well.
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