Physical therapy in the field of orthopaedics is a specialised area that focuses on the accurate evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
Musculoskeletal injuries include joints, muscles, bones, soft tissues and/or nerves.
Some diseases treated by the physiotherapist are ligament injuries (sprains, breaks), muscular injuries, cartilage injuries, dislocations, fractures, joint degeneration (arthritis, osteoarthritis), back pathologies, injuries requiring surgery (preoperative and postoperative).
These injuries may require an evaluation and treatment of orthopaedic physiotherapy to optimize and accelerate the recovery process. After the evaluation, the physiotherapist works to establish objectives, and develop an appropriate physiotherapy plan. Some of the treatments that the physiotherapist can use are:
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is performed by manipulation of the muscles and joints based on a biomechanical study of these.
Therapeutic exercises
It is the set of methods that use movement for therapeutic purposes. The exercises are classified as passive or active. This is according to the greater or lesser participation of the patient in the execution of the movements.
Passive exercises: It is a set of techniques that are applied to the affected structures, without the patient making any voluntary movement of the area to be treated. The patient does not intervene at all.
Active exercises: It is a set of exercises performed by the patient with their own strength voluntarily, or self-reflexively and controlled, corrected or helped by the physiotherapist.
Massage therapy
Orthopaedic massage has three main elements, regardless of which is the injury or the involved medical treatment: determine the type of injury, apply the corresponding treatment, and adapt the treatment if necessary.
Electrotherapy
This therapy consists of applying electrical currents for the treatment of injuries and illnesses.
Therefore, we can achieve anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, as well as relieve the pain. In addition, neuromuscular enhancement and atrophy improvement are possible.
The physiotherapist will choose the most appropriate treatment based on the initial evaluation, the scientific evidence of the treatments for each pathology and on the clinical experience itself.
The treatment has as main objectives:
- Optimize the healing process.
- Decrease pain.
- Decrease in inflammation.
- Restore mobility.
- Increase in strength.
- Restore normal movement.
- Prevent relapse.
In conclusion, the specialist will take into account all these objectives when developing the physiotherapy treatment plan.
At The London Spine Unit, The Harley Street Hospital, we have some of the best specialists to perform these procedures. Book an appointment to get a check up.
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