For people with arthritis, physiotherapy tends to be one of the most important parts of the treatment. Physiotherapists are a team of healthcare professions who are trained to help you maintain an independent lifestyle both at work and home. They are experts when it comes to assessing movement and will show you how to prevent possible damage in the joints.
In addition, the physiotherapist will offer information on this topic, making sure to help you feel confident about being in charge of your condition. You can check out the physiotherapy for back pain Parramatta if you are interested, or simply schedule a consultation with a local doctor instead.
Physiotherapists will help address any of your uncertainties and concerns, and will set appropriate goals for you to keep and be as active as you can be. Specialist physiotherapists are professionals trained to diagnose and treat muscle and joint problems.
How does physiotherapy help?
It is very important that you have an active lifestyle if you suffer from arthritis. A lot of people thing that an active lifestyle will increase the damage or pain in the joints. However, our joints are designed to move, and inactivity can make our muscles weak.
A physiotherapist will ask you about how active your life is and what kind of issues you might be experiencing. They will also examine the joints and your strength in order to learn about the range of movement of your joints. This will help them create a personalized program that will help you.
This program can include:
- General advice on how much you should increase your activity. A physiotherapist will also help you set your goals and find the balance between resting and staying active.
- Teaching you about exercises that you should avoid by advising you on the equipment and training that you will need for new activities.
- Making a program tailored to your specific needs; to improve your fitness, flexibility, mobility, and strength.
- A course of aquatic therapy, which are exercises done in a warm-water pool.
- Offering walking aids to help you maintain your mobility and independence.
- Advices on techniques and treatments that can help you manage pain.
What conditions do physiotherapists treat?
- A physiotherapist can suit a number of injuries and conditions. Some of those can include:
- Neurological – such as multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, concussions, strokes, and so on.
- Orthopedic – carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, foot and knee conditions, joint problems, sciatica, etc.
- Chronic conditions – diabetes, obesity, asthma, blood pressure problems… etc.
- Guillain-Barre syndrome.
- Autoimmune – Rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud’s syndrome, Fibromyalgia.
When to see a physiotherapist?
If you are not sure whether you should see a physiotherapist, there are some things to consider. First of all, there are a number of reasons you might want to see a physiotherapist. Whether you have been referred to one or not, you can always schedule a consultation. For example, if you have shoulder pain you can check out the shoulder physiotherapist in Parramatta or search for a local one instead.
Other reasons to see a physiotherapist:
- Illness – if you have a prolonged illness that has impacted your balance, motor skills or mobility.
- After surgery – if moving around after surgery is an important part of the healing, you should definitely visit a physiotherapist. In most cases you will then be referred to one.
- Chronic health conditions – there are some chronic health conditions that can impact balance and mobility, such as diabetes.
- Aging – as we get older, we experience changes in our body and that can impact the function and movement.
- Injury – if you’ve suffered an injury that left you with a love of pain or mobility issues, your doctor will recommend a physiotherapist.
- Health crisis – stroke, brain injury, heat attack, and other health crises can leave you with bad difficulties on the daily. A physiotherapist can help you regain some or all functions.
- General wellness – some patients might seek help from physiotherapists in order to counteract the aging process, and stay mobile and healthy.
What to expect?
After making an appointment, make sure that during the first meeting you are wearing something comfortable. Talk openly with your doctor, describe your issues, and be ready to do some exercises and answer a lot of questions. This will help your doctor create a plan that will improve your case.
Final word
If you are experiencing any of the issues mentioned or if your doctor suggested, you should visit your physiotherapist. You can also just schedule a consultation with your doctor without having to be referred to one.
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