So what is a Physiotherapist?

Todays blog post is going to tell you more about what a physiotherapist is, the training they have had and what to expect when first meeting your Physiotherapist.

so first things first what is a physiotherapist?

The web definition is as follows:

Physical Therapist: therapist who treats injury or dysfunction with exercises and other physical treatments of the disorder.


Not much of an explanation is it. Let me give you our definition of a physiotherapist.

A Physiotherapist is a therapist who helps patients recover from injury and illness. Physiotherapy is a profession, which is very popular in the UK, Europe and Australia.

What is a Physiotherapist?

•    A physiotherapist is a health care professional who specialises in maximising human movement, function and potential.

•    A physiotherapist may work with someone after injury, accident or surgery, or may work to prevent injury for instance with sporting clubs or in the workplace.

•    Physiotherapists work in a wide variety of settings: hospital; private clinics; hospices; nursing homes; a patients own home; the workplace; sports clubs and gyms.

Physiotherapists are the British equivalent of a Physical Therapist

What training does a Physiotherapist have?

•     In July 2005 a law was passed in the United Kingdom protecting the title “physiotherapist” and “physical therapist” restricting its use in the UK to persons who are eligible to register as a physiotherapist with the Health Professions Council.

•    In order to receive a certificate to practice and register with the Health professions council Physiotherapists study for three years to gain a BSc in Physiotherapy. Some universities now also offer an accelerated two year course to students who hold a previous degree in a relevant subject.

•    Once registered with the Health professions council Physiotherapists must maintain a portfolio documenting their continuous professional development, undertaking extra courses and study.

You can check whether your therapist is registered with the HPC on their web site.   

What should I expect if I consult a Physiotherapist? 



First of all the physio will undertake a comprehensive assessment of your problem. This will include asking you a lot of detailed questions about the problem such as how it started, what activities make it better or worse, as well as more general questions about your general health and work, hobbies and sporting activities.
Treatment options depend on the problem that you are having but may include exercises 

to stretch tight structures, strengthen weak ones, improve balance, or change the way you move; hands on mobilisation to move joints; or electrotherapy which is the use of machines such as ultrasound or TENS

I hope you found this helpful and that you now fully understand the term Physiotherapist. Again why not click on the links at the side on this post and come visit our sites. We'd be happy to hear from you.


Also if there is anything you would like to ask, please feel free to leave a comment below and i shall reply to you asap.


TherapyWorks


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