Why World Physiotherapy Day Matters
Logic states that when something breaks, you fix it. This is easier said than done when it comes to ‘fixing’ the human body.
We have to first understand that even the simplest things, such as sitting for long hours or stretching too much, even a birth defect can ‘break’ the body. Rehabilitation of the body after trauma of any sort requires routine treatments, all ranging from medicine to exercise over the given course.
On this World Physiotherapy Day, we take a close look at the role physiotherapy plays in recovering to better health.
Physiotherapy is an expansive branch of medicine that deals with restoration, maintenance, and making the most of the mobility and function of a patient for their holistic wellbeing. The subject was once in the background of treatments until the recent onset of the Covid19 pandemic that forced us to stay home and limit our movements. Since then, more people have come to understand the importance of physiotherapy not only for patients, but the general public.
In a medical case, patients are often referred to physiotherapists post diagnosis but individual evaluation must take place before a curated treatment program can be assigned. Use of the latest technology in the field has allowed physiotherapists to subspecialize in providing focused treatment to different conditions. Minimal stretches and an exercise routine that can be done at home could ease mild pains whilst a more complex program might be required for a patient recovering from a surgery.
On bad days, physiotherapy has proven to be a light at the end of the tunnel for many patients. Those who stuck to rigorous programs have been able to restore movement in cases where there was no hope previously. Chronic pains in the joints have eased, and people have learnt to adjust to alternative ways to live with their conditions that are less restraining. Sadly, it is not every patient who has the patience to see slow progress in their recovery.
Rehabilitation through physiotherapy takes time as the body heals and adjusts to the treatment. By nature, most of us are impatient and have developed a culture over the generations to rid ourselves of the pain with painkillers. Modern medicine reveals that pain inhibitors in the long run causes far more damage that the instant relief it gives. Thanks to the internet and boosted by the pandemic, a massive shift in trend is being observed where more and more people are becoming aware of their lifestyles and environments, and the affect it has on their bodies.
A large percentage of the patients who are treated at the leading Rehabilitation Center in the Maldives at Tree Top Hospital are surprisingly aged early 20s and 30s. Patients walk in with work-induced pains in different parts of the body that can simply be eased with minor adjustments in our lifestyles. Take 2 minutes away from your work station to move about, stretch, and take a breath of fresh air. Do it often and you are halfway into a balanced lifestyle. Paired with the proper diet, it will do wonders.
On this World Physiotherapy Day, we celebrate the progress in the field and the increasing trust among the public in PT treatments. We encourage becoming more aware of the importance of PT in balancing a healthy lifestyle.