What Is Physiotherapy (Physical Therapy)?
Physiotherapy (also known as Physical Therapy) is the art and science of restoring function, movement, and wellness to a person in their environment. Physiotherapists (or physical therapists) are health care professionals with graduate degrees in physiotherapy, who provide assessment and treatment to address these dysfunctions. They may commonly have high levels of expertise in specific areas of rehabilitation including musculoskeletal, neurological, pelvic health, post-partum, pediatric and/or geriatric health.
Individuals usually seek help from a physical therapist when they have pain, weakness, impaired movement, are recovering from an injury or surgery. They may have had an acute or chronic medical illness (e.g. heart attack, stroke) that necessitates recovery of strength, movement, and a reintegration back to activities of daily living.
Physiotherapy for Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendinitis is a condition that causes pain in the back of the leg above the heel. It typically occurs with injury to the Achilles tendon. Tendons are bands of tissue that connect muscle and bone, specifically the calf muscle to the heel bone. This tendinopathy can occur with a sudden increase in exercise or activity, repetitive exercises, not warming up the calf muscle before exercise, inappropriate shoes for
exercise, or with bone growth to the heel bone which rubs against tendon.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms associated with Achilles Tendinitis are:
- Pain in the back of the leg above the heel, especially in the morning
- Swelling of the skin over the Achilles tendon
- Trouble standing on tiptoe
Diagnosis
There is no test specific for Achilles tendinopathy. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and
performing an manual examination by your doctor or physiotherapist. Your physician may order an x-ray or other tests to make sure other conditions are not causing the symptoms.
Treatment
Management of Achilles tendinopathy involve:
- Rest and avoiding aggravating activities
- Ice to the area to reduce inflammation
- Ankle wraps during activity to limit tendon movement.
- Pain medication – Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, etc.
- Physiotherapy – activities to strengthen the calf muscle and increasing flexibility.
With unimproved symptoms, your doctor may recommend devices for your shoe or even surgery.
Prognosis
Achilles tendinopathy can improve on its own, however, it can take months to heal completely. Persistent irritation to the tendon will prevent healing, and may even result in tendon rupture. Tendon rupture may require surgery, but aggressive physiotherapy will be a mainstay of care.
Physiotherapy For The Elderly
As we get older, changes occur in all our body systems such as reduced muscle power, poorer balance or eyesight, increased weight, lowered coordination, painful joints, slower comprehension and reduced ability to react quickly to circumstances. Mostly we cope well with these as the changes are slow and we adapt, but if the changes are rapid or we have several challenges all at once, this can negatively affect our independence and mobility.
Illnesses such as high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic lung disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, and neurological conditions can also have an important impact on our ability to remain independent in our own homes and local surroundings. We may find stairs difficult, walking long distances a challenge and carrying loads such as shopping much less easy.
These changes do not have to be accepted wholly as an inevitable part of ageing, however. We can do a lot to prevent our abilities deteriorating and limit the impact that has on our abilities and our lives.
Physiotherapy for Older People
Physiotherapists have a vital and important role in working with elderly people. They are involved in preventing disease and disability, treating current conditions, managing inpatient care and following up in the community. They can identify the issues that are making the greatest impact on someone’s life and help them work to improve those, leading to a better quality of life and continued independence.
Physiotherapists have a wide range of skills that can benefit many conditions suffered by elderly people. Elderly care physiotherapists specialise in the assessment, treatment and long-term management of older people in their homes, in hospitals and in care homes.
By 2030 one in five people in the UK will be over 65 and the number of older people continues to grow as a proportion of the total population. Many elderly people continue to be independent and healthy but as time goes on are likely to develop complex conditions and become more frail and disabled.
Elderly people have specialised needs and often have more than one presenting medical condition at any one time, complicating the assessment and management of their problem.
Many physiotherapists specialising in working with elderly people belong to AGILE, the professional network of chartered physiotherapists working with older people. They continually develop the necessary skills to manage the complex needs of older people.
What Treatments may a Physiotherapist Provide?
Much of the skill that a physio can provide to an elderly person is in the clear and precise assessment of the physical problems the person is suffering from. An explanation of the situation can then be given and an individual treatment plan formulated.
Most treatment plans involve altering the way someone is doing something and giving them an exercise regime to practise regularly. Improving balance, strength and mobility are often major aims. If the person is suffering from pain then this may be addressed with exercises, massage, heat or cold treatments, TENS machines, hydrotherapy in a pool and advice.
Exercise treatments include flexibility work, strengthening exercises, pain relief exercises, endurance training, and functional work such as stairs practice, getting up from a chair and getting up from the floor.
A physiotherapist can also give advice on gait correction and the safe use of walking aids such as a stick, crutches or a frame.