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Physical Therapy

December 15th, 2011

Modern medicine, with its drugs and advanced surgical methods, has not found the answer to all the disabilities that afflict man. Medical professionals often have to resort to massage, exercise, and other methods of physical manipulation to treat certain diseases and conditions. Also known as physiotherapy, physical therapy can trace its origins to England in the late nineteenth century, when The Society of Trained Masseuses was formed by nurses and midwives hoping to give official recognition to their massage practices.

Physical therapists deal with musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and neurological conditions. Patients who require physical therapy include those with permanent disabilities, those who have lost the function of their limbs due to an accident, or those with disabling conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, head injuries, cerebral palsy, and low back pain.

Apart from restoring function, relieving pain, and improving mobility, physical therapists also help to maintain overall fitness and health. Through a range of exercises, and with the help of other stimulants such as hot and cold compresses, they help patients improve flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and coordination. Physical therapists also help patients get used to assistive walking devices such as crutches and wheelchairs. The aim is to encourage such patients on the road to recovery and to help them function effectively at work or at home.

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Can Physical Therapy Help Heal?

November 9th, 2011

Physical therapy, just on a very surface level could be considered an alternative type or natural treatment for certain conditions like back pain. Unlike aromatherapy, herbal remedies etc, physical therapy has been recognized as a legitimate treatment for many physical or bodily problems resulting from disease, accidents and other things that can affect our life.

It is different from Occupational therapy. Occupational therapists treat people who are considered to have much more permanent physical or developmental problems. The physical therapist however may be considered a shorter term solution for people in need of temporary assistance and treatments.

Much of the established medical community recognizes the benefits of physical therapy. Physical therapy is essentially the use of exercises and activities to help condition parts of the body. Through specialized activities, the part of the body being worked with gains, strength, coordination, conditioning, and movement.

Physical therapy is now considered an important part of most treatments for injuries or physical disorders. Exercises are designed to help patients gain the as much of the full range of motion as possible. This means that physical therapy is usually a lot of exhaustive work for the patients.

The appointments with the physical therapist is only part of the work that needs done however. The therapist will typically offer a daily exercise regimen and suggest other ways to help with your rehabilitation. They will often spend the time necessary through demonstration and teaching patients how to get the maximum benefit from those exercises. By following their direction, patients can expect over time to improve their health and gain additional functionality of the problem area.
Many doctors who treat pain will also actively use physical therapists to assist with relieving a painful condition depending on the reason for the problem. Therapists are not just physical education instructors but are skilled in helping patients recover the greatest amount of functionality possible.

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