Physiotherapists use movement, exercise, manual therapy, education, and advice to help people who have been affected by injury, illness, or disability. You don’t need to be injured to seek help from a physio. In addition to helping you recover from injury and managing pain, a physio can also help you improve mobility, function, and athletic performance.
What Can a Physiotherapist Treat?
Physiotherapists can treat everything from neck and back pain, to bone, joint, and muscle issues, all the way to fatigue, pain, and swelling. They use their knowledge and skills to improve a wide range of conditions that affect different systems of the body including:
- Neuromusculoskeletal (back pain, whiplash, arthritis).
- Neurological (stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s).
- Cardiovascular (chronic heart disease, rehabilitation after heart attack)
- Respiratory (asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Types of Injuries
Generally speaking, there are two types of injuries. Acute injuries or strains happen suddenly and are usually associated with trauma and severe pain. Examples of an acute injury are: A broken bone, muscle tear, or bruising. Signs and symptoms include: sudden pain, swelling, inability to place weight on a limb, visible discolouration, and inability to move a joint through its range of motion.
Chronic injuries happen over time. They are often referred to as overuse injuries as they tend to result from overusing one body area over long periods and can cause things like stress fractures, and inflammation. Signs and symptoms of this type of injury include: Pain when performing and activity, a dull ache when at rest, and swelling.
When to Seek Help
R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compress, elevate) is one of the most effective ways to start your healing process at home especially if you’re dealing with an acute injury. Physiotherapists are regulated health care professionals. They collaborate with other health care professionals to set and achieve treatment goals for both acute and chronic conditions. This means that unless you’re experiencing severe symptoms such as: Visible deformities, dizziness, and severe swelling or pain we can be your first point of contact.
Consider Getting in Touch With us if:
- Your injury seems minor but doesn’t improve with home treatment.
- Your injury still hurts a few days later.
- You can reproduce the pain with a specific movement.
- Something has felt “different” since your injury.
- You are moving differently since your injury.
You don’t need to be injured to seek assistance from a physiotherapist, but don’t hesitate to reach out if you feel like something isn’t right. The body has an innate ability to heal, but not all injuries can heal completely on their own. The longer you wait to seek treatment the longer your recovery could be.
If you’re unsure if you could benefit from physiotherapy, get in touch with us for a complimentary phone consultation. We’ll take some time to go over your symptoms, answer your questions, and get a recovery plan in place (if necessary).
Helping you heal is what we do best.