Physiotherapy (also known as physical therapy) can help people to recover from a wide variety of illnesses or injuries. It may have been recommended to you, and you’re wondering exactly what it entails.
Without seeing you and giving you a thorough assessment, it would be impossible to say which methods would be most likely to help you, but we can put your mind to rest by giving you an overview of the physiotherapy techniques we use.
Helping You to Understand Your Body Better
As physiotherapists, one of the most important aspects of our work is helping our clients to make changes that will help their recovery. For example, if you have a back pain, we won’t just treat the back pain – we’ll also look at why you have this type of pain. We’ll also advise you on anything you ought to do or avoid doing during your recovery.
Just knowing how to reduce your risk of injuring or reinjuring yourself could save you a lot of pain and discomfort in the future. And since your assessment is individual, you’ll get information that applies specifically to you rather than generic advice.
Getting You Moving
No, it’s not boot camp, and nobody is going to make you push yourself way beyond your comfort zone. Instead, our downtown Vancouver physiotherapist shows you how to do exercises that will help you to improve your range of movement, become mobile, or strengthen muscles that can compensate for a specific problem. In short, we’ll look at one or more of the following:
- Strength training exercises that will reduce strain on your body.
- Whole-body exercise like walking, cycling or swimming.
- Low to no impact types of exercise such as those performed in hydrotherapy.
- Safe ways to remain active despite your injury, disability, or trauma.
- Mobility aids like wheelchairs or walking aids that will help you to regain your independence.
- Home exercises to keep you making progress even when it isn’t time for your next appointment.
Manual Therapies
Once again, the aim is to get you moving, but this time, the physiotherapist does most of the work. Manual therapies include massage and manipulating limbs and joints. Your therapist will have the qualifications to know which types of manual therapy can help you. He or she will aim to:
- Reduce pain or stiffness
- Encourage blood flow to areas in need of healing
- Help lymph and mucus to drain away more effectively
- Help you to improve mobility
- Help you to relax when muscles are inclined to spasm
Other Therapies
If your physiotherapist thinks that other types of therapy can help you, he or she will either apply them or refer you to someone who can. Extra therapies that may help to relieve pain and speed healing include:
- Acupuncture
- Ultrasound
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
We Work Gently and Effectively
When you visit a physiotherapist, you have nothing to fear. We are not here to hurt but to help. Thus, we will work hard to ensure that you don’t overstrain yourself or sustain additional injuries. Unlike your gym instructor, we won’t tell you to push yourself to the max and beyond.
Our extensive knowledge of human anatomy means that manipulations, movements, and massage will be healthy and safe to perform, and if you do experience discomfort at any time, we know how to listen as only medical professionals can.
Are you ready for your first consultation? Then it’s time you gave us a call. There’s nothing scary about physiotherapy!
