All of us need help with pain management, exercising, stress relief and just plain counseling. Your
doctor might suggest Physiotherapy after an injury, pain or illness affects your ability to do daily
tasks.

Physiotherapy is used to
 Relieve pain ( back pain, joints pain in Gout diagnosed by the uric acid test)
 Improve movement or ability
 Rehabilitation after an accident, injury, stroke or surgery
 Work on balance to prevent a slip or fall
 Recover after childbirth
 Control your bladder and bowels
 Adapt to an artificial limb or learn to use a walker, cane, splint or brace
 Prevent or recover from a sports injury, disability or even surgery and cases with in-site
catheters.
 Manage a chronic illness treatment like back pain, Parkinson’s disease treatment, arthritis,
paralysis, diabetes, heart problems

Who is a Physiotherapist?

A licensed health professional with specialized training at the graduate or post-graduate level in
physical therapy is called a physiotherapist. They are not doctors and their skill lies in guiding your
recovery through exercises and physical treatment. They often use assistants to aid them to train
you to move and perform physical tasks better. Some insurance policies cover physiotherapist costs.
Normally it is best to have your doctor prescribe the treatment as part of your recovery process.

What Does a Physiotherapist do?

The Physiotherapist will normally examine you, assess your needs and symptoms, check your ability
to move or do everyday tasks, and question you to get an idea of your medical history, sleep-
pattern, pain, prior treatments etc.

Physiotherapists use tests to measure functions like
 Your posture or balance
 Your heartbeat rate during activity
 Ability to reach, grasp objects, move around, bend or flex muscles
 Climbing steps, how far and how you walk

After discussions with you and your doctor, a treatment plan is evolved to help you recover and
reach your personal goals through massages, exercises or other treatments like
 Exercises aided or unaided
 Massages with oil, heat, or cold therapy, warm water therapy, ultrasound and vibrating
devices
 Artificial limb use rehabilitation
 Balancing using a walker, cane or crutches as in paralysis treatment

Back Pain and Physiotherapy

Each one of us has had pain in the back at one time or the other! Low back-ache is a lifestyle
disorder and generally lasts a lifetime. A good physiotherapist’s help, your doctor’s advice, and
medication cannot make the pain disappear completely but definitely helps in accepting and
managing pain better.

Even when at home help yourself by sleeping on a firm, flat mattress and avoiding high heels.
Remember that exercise is the best medicine for back pain and bed rest may slow down your
recovery. That’s why you need a physiotherapist to guide you in how to exercise, how much, how
often and when to stop. Most physiotherapists undertake home visits or may require you to go into
rehabilitation with specialized equipment.

Walking and stretching exercises to stabilize your spine and build core muscles should be under
guidance. You can learn to lift weights, gentle stretches and exercises that can help from the
physiotherapist. Swimming, water exercising and aquatic therapy like whirlpools, Jacuzzis help with
chronic low-back problems.

Yoga exercises may help build flexibility, strength, balance, pain management and stress relief. One
can try prescribed medications for pain relief, nerve stimulation, acupuncture, chiropractic devices,
and lumbar support belts under a physiotherapist’s supervision before surgery.