INTRODUCTION
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential with the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. It is also a branch of medicine denoted to the management of physical disabilities, as a result of rheumatic disease, asthma, poliomyelitis etc. It treats biomechanical disorders.
The profession aimed at restoring patient to a level where he is able to achieve maximum potential for normal living in the physical, psychological, social and vocational sense. They restore, maintain and promote not only optimal physical function but optimal wellness and fitness, and optimal quality of life as it relates to movement and health. They also prevent the onset, symptoms and progression of impairments, functional limitations and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries.
COMPONENTS OF PHYSIOTHERAPY
The major components of physiotherapy include:
1. Diagnostic physiotherapy
2. Curative physiotherapy
3. Therapeutic physiotherapy
4. Preventive physiotherapy
5. Rehabilitative physiotherapy
A person who studied physiotherapy is known as a physiotherapist.
JOB DUTIES OF PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN THE CLINIC
A physiotherapist is specialized in restoring optimal function to people with injuries to the muscles, bones, tissues and nervous system such as stroke and spinal cord injury patients.
BRANCHES OF PHYSIOTHERAPY
Because the body of knowledge of physical therapy is quite large, some physiotherapists specialize in a specified clinical area.
-Cardio-respiratory physiotherapy
This treats a wide variety of individuals with cardiovascular disorders or those who have had disorders or pulmonary surgery. The primary goals of this specialty include increasing endurance. Manual therapy is used in this field to assist in clearing lung secretion experienced with cystic fibrosis. Disorders include; heart attack, post coronary bypass surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis.
-Geriatrics
This covers a wide area of issues concerning people as they go through normal adult aging but is usually focused on the older adults.
Disorders includes: arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, hip and knee joint replacement, balance disorders, incontinence etc.
-Integumentary
This involves treatment of conditions involving the skin and related organs. Common condition managed include: wounds and burns, carbuncles, fumncles, acne, vulgaris etc. Commonly used interventions include exercise, edema control, splinting, compression garment, UV (ultraviolet) radiation etc.
-Neurological
This is a field focused on working with individuals who have a neurological disorders or disease and these include: Alzheimer’s disease, Charcot-Marie Tooth disease (CMT), brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury etc.
-Orthopedic
Orthopedic physiotherapy diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system including; arthritis, fracture, acute sport injuries, back pain, neck pain, amputation, spinal conditions, knee pain etc. The treatment modalities include; joint and spine mobilization/manipulation, therapeutic exercises, neuromuscular re-education, hot/cold pack and electrical muscle stimulation etc.
-Pediatrics
This assists in early detection of health problems and uses a wide variety of modalities to treat disorders in the pediatric population. These therapists are specialized in diagnosis, treatment, and management of infants, children, and adolescents, with variety of congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, or acquired disorders/diseases. Treatment focus on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance, and co-ordination, strength and endurance as well as cognitive and sensory processing/integration. Children with developmental delay, celebral palsy, spinabifida or torticollis may be treated by pediatric physiotherapists.
-Sport Medicine
This is involved in the care of athletes from recreational to professional and Olympians. This area of practice includes; athletes injury management, prevention and education.
-Women’s Health (Obstetrics)
Women’s health physical therapists address women’s issues related to child birth and post-partum. These conditions include lymphedema, osteoporosis, pelvic pain, prenatal and post-partum periods and urinary incontinence, vesicovaginal fistula (obstetric fistula) etc.
Other areas of specialization include:
1. Clinical electrophysiology
2. Industrial physiotherapy
3. Pain medicine
4. Surgical rehabilitation
5. Rheumatological rehabilitation etc.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Job opportunities of a physiotherapist include;
Teaching hospitals
Specialized hospitals
Rehabilitation centers
Armed forces schools
Hospices home for the handicapped
Industries
Sports organizations
International agencies etc.
Author:
Oguaghamba, Chika
Physiotherapist.
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