About Physiotherapy

HISTORY OF PHYSIOTHERAPY

Physiotherapy is dedicated to the restoration of the human function which has been impaired due to disease, trauma or injury. It is practiced in India since the last fifty years. It plays a big role in preventive aspects and pain management.


Physiotherapy dates back to 250 AD, when gold fish-electric fish was used for pain relief in gout and headache cases. Physiotherapists today use certain type of currents to give pain relief.

In prehistoric era, buddhists and hindus recognised "pain as a sensation" but gave greater importance to its emotional aspects. Non-invasive methods were used for pain relief. Today's physiotherapists also use non-invasive, electro-therapy modalities for pain relief.

Physiotherapy is "tending to the cure or providing relief from disease or injury." It involves rehabilitating the patient from "bed to job".

Be it acute or intensive care, respiratory and cardiac rehabilitation, pain management, Arthritis, headache, post-operative pain, heel pain, fitness, or sports injury, physiotherapy has a role to play in restoring the patient to normalcy or atleast a functional capacity.

PHYSIOTHERAPY TODAY


Physiotherapy today is an independent health care profession for all the age groups from neonatal to geriatrics. (from birth to old age.)

The task of early intervention in neonatal cases is taken over by a physiotherapist, new born babies with birth defects are evaluated and treated, which helps in minimizing disabilities and helps in early ambulation.

Women's wellness, maintaining healthy lifestyle after menopause needs attention.

Common problems are: obesity, Arthritis, incontinence of urine, fatigue, aches & pains in joints etc
Pain management in acute & chronic cases are managed by physiotherapists.

Sports physiotherapy is becoming popular amongst the young physios. In fact special post-graduate courses are conducted by the association, to promote this new emerging avenue of physiotherapy.

Industrial physiotherapy deals with ergonomics and safety measures. Guidance on work positions etc. is given by physiotherapists.

Manipulative Therapy is gaining momentum due to its instant relief in pain and increase in range of motion. Special training is required before practicing this technique.

All these have gained immense popularity for today's Physiotherapists.
 
PHYSIOTHERAPY TOMORROW AND FUTURE


There is scope for physiotherapy even in space, where there is a high possibility of gravity related injury.
Backpain, muscle strain and headache is common in space-craft. Micro-gravity induces calcium loss from bones. Assessment of the limbs or back are difficult in space.

The future of physiotherapy for the astronauts in space is promising. Physiotherapists can help "body positioning", and exercises for micro-gravity posture.

	Aims of Physiotherapy:
	1. To relieve pain and spasm. 2. To improve range of motion and mobility. 3. To prevent stiffness and contractures. 4. To teach ergonomics and self help care. 5. To prevent frequent falls in elderly persons. 6. To improve strength and co-ordination.

This article is taken from physiotherapytoday.com/. Credit to the original author.

Anatomy or Body Structure - Bones

Next component that important for a physiotherapist to know is the skeletal system. Below are the links that describe more detail about skeletal system. Happy studying!! =)


 *credit to Gerard J. Tortora and colleague, Principles of Anatomy and Physiology.

http://hotfile.com/dl/118106148/1c96247/07_-_The_Skeletal_System_-_The_Axial_Skeleton.ppt.html

http://hotfile.com/dl/118107211/c6eaae5/08_-_The_Skeletal_System_-_The_Appendicular_Skeleton.ppt.html

Parkinson's Disease

Do you know who is this? Yeah, you're right!! =) The one and only man in this world who can beat George Foreman in knock out, Muhammad Ali. Great boxer, a great man, a great father who have also a great daughter, Laila Ali.
But, a great and strong man like him can't even escape from the power of nature, that is having disease that he is now many people know as Parkinson's Disease. Some have said that the disease is came from the blow by George Foreman. Maybe true because that kind of blows physically to Ali is like defending from being hit by a truck. If you didnt watch the match yet, just search in Youtube. What a great match to watch.

Alright, now, what we are discussing here is about the Parkinson's disease, how does it happen, the symptoms and how to overcome them.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system that produce movement disorder and changes in mood and cognition. The movement disorder in this disease as you can see how Ali is walking, shaked hand, slow movement, gait pattern abnormalities and shuffling gait.

The disease occur is because there is a deplete production of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine reduces the influence of the indirect pathway while increasing the actions of the direct pathway within the basal ganglia. Reduced number of dopamine will lead to the symptom described above, loses the ability to execute smooth, controlled movements.
If you want to know more about basal ganglia, you can watch this video
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3po7dUCCoE

how the dopamine can be depleted? It is because of aging process, environmental factor and genetic factor. And in Muhammad Ali case?? I think it is because aging process. PLUS, damage done during his boxing career to the brain. =D (I guest)

So, how to treat patient with Parkinson disease physically?

}Gait re-education

}Improve balance and flexibility

}Facilitate initiation of movement

}Improve or maintain general(cardiovascular) fitness

}Increase functional independence

}Ensuring safety within at home

}To prevent muscle contracture

 

 Below is the link for a powerpoint presentation describing more on detail about Parkinson's disease treatment in physiotherapy

http://www.mediafire.com/?83icwl730b02050

Malaysian people view on physiotherapist

OK, let us ask our parent about physiotherapist. Do they know actually about it? If u decide to further study in this course, especially for SPM and Matriculation student, do our parent agree with our decision? And of course, they will come with a lot of question, how about the study, how about the job chances and so on.

When I was finishing my matriculation year, I was choosed to study in physiotherapy, my parent said 'OK'. Then, when I went to the hospital for medical checkup, the counterman asked me. What course do you study further? I said, physio. Then he said, ohh, the person that give massage arr?? That is the counterman in HOSPITAL !!!

Quite surprising that many people dont know the real job for this field, eventhough the person who work in the hospital.
Yeah, of course, one of the job of physio is giving massage or soft tissue manipulation, but there are a lot more. Here are some of the job that covered by a physiotherapist:
Neurological disease patient such as stroke, parkinson's disease or cerebral palsy
musculoskeletal injury such as motor vehicle accident, sports injury or daily routine injury
cardiorespiratory complications such as asthmatic patient, lung complication and bedridden patient.




So, these are some of the job that done and covered by physiotherapist. I hope, with this writing, it can give a brief idea about what the physiotherapy is about especially to student who wanted to further their study in this field.

Official Malaysian Physiotherapy Association (MPA) Website

You can access to the website with the link http://www.mpa.net.my/main.php

This website is suitable to those who are interested to further their study in this field, especially to SPM 'fresher'. This course may be consider new in our country and in ongoing to 'grow' further. So, let's check it out!