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Physical therapy
(or physiotherapy*) is the provision of services to
people and populations to develop, maintain and restore
maximum movement and functional ability throughout the
lifespan. It includes the provision of services in
circumstances where movement and function are threatened by
the process of ageing or that of injury or disease. The
method of physical therapy sees full and functional movement
as at the heart of what it means to be healthy.
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Physical therapy
is concerned with identifying and maximizing
movement potential, within the spheres of promotion,
prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. It
involves the interaction between physical clients,
families and care givers, in a process of assessing
movement potential and in establishing agreed upon
goals and objectives using knowledge and skills
unique to physical therapists. |
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The physical therapists’ distinctive view of the body and
its movement needs and potential is central to determining a
diagnosis and an intervention strategy and is consistent
whatever the setting in which practice is undertaken. These
settings will vary in relation to whether physical therapy
is concerned with health promotion, prevention, treatment or
rehabilitation.
Physical therapy
interventions may include:
"Manual handling; movement enhancement; physical,
electrotherapeutic and mechanical agents; functional
training; provision of aids and appliances; patient related
instruction and counseling; documentation and coordination,
and communication. Intervention may also be aimed at
prevention of impairments, functional limitations,
disability and injury including the promotion and
maintenance of health, quality of life, and fitness in all
ages and populations."
Some of the conditions that physical therapists manage
include:
Physical therapy assessment
A physical therapist will initially conduct a subjective
examination (interview) of a patient's medical history, and
then go on to the objective assessment (physical
examination). The subjective examination is guided by the
presenting system and complaint, and the objective
assessment is in turn guided by the history.
This semi-structured process is used to rule out serious
pathology (so called
red flags), establish
functional limitations, establish the diagnosis, guide
therapy, and establish a baseline for monitoring progress.
As such, the objective exam will then use certain
quantifiable measurements to both guide diagnosis and for
progress monitoring. These depend upon the system (and area)
being managed, e.g. a musculoskeletal exam may involve,
inter alia, assessment of joint range of motion, muscle
power, neurological assessment, motor control, and posture,
whilst a cardiopulmonary assessment may involve lung
auscultation and
exercise physiology testing.
In some countries a physical therapist may order diagnostic
imaging tests such as x-rays and MRIs to obtain more
information about a patient's presenting condition and
determine the treatment plan including referral to other
practitioners. Physical therapists may also perform
electromyography and nerve conduction testing to aid in the
diagnosis of muscle and nerve disorders.
Physical therapy treatment
Guided by the assessment findings, the physical therapist
will then develop and facilitate a treatment plan. Aside
from the various physiotherapeutic techniques involved in
therapy, the treatment regime may include prescribing and
advice regarding assistive walking devices; should consider
functional progress; and include ongoing review and
refinement. Patient education is a key aspect of all
treatment plans.
It is difficult to explore the many aspects of
physiotherapeutic treatment options, especially considering
their ongoing development in the face of an increasing
research base. Nonetheless, some examples of treatment
options are listed below. |
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