You don’t have to be an elite athlete to seek physiotherapy, and it isn’t only for the injured.
In fact, physiotherapy can be beneficial in many ways but it also depends on the source of your pain.
If you’ve pulled a muscle and it’s a constant and annoying pain, seeing a physiotherapist may be your best bet. However, if you’re experiencing sharp, intense pain that disappears as soon as you move, you’re probably dealing with something else which may require the attention of a medical doctor.
Injury, overuse, or inflammation are the three most common causes of pain.
If you’ve been dealing with pain for more than a few weeks, it may be time to speak with a physio. Before you do that, here’s what you need to know about physiotherapy and whether or not it’s right for you.
First, What Is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is the branch of medicine that aims to correct and prevent physical problems through exercise and physical therapy. It is a holistic approach to health that takes into account the social, emotional, and mental aspects of health and disease.
In other words, physiotherapy helps you identify and correct problems in your body that are causing you pain, as well as helps you improve your overall health and quality of life.
Why See A Physio?
There are four main reasons to see a physiotherapist:
- to avoid injury,
- to improve your mobility,
- to correct faulty movement,
- or to help you manage pain.
To avoid injury, a physio can help you strengthen your muscles so they’re less likely to become strained or overused, and can help you develop better movement techniques.
To improve your mobility, a physical therapist can work on improving the range of motion in your joints, as well as help you develop better muscle memory so you’re less likely to injure yourself in the future.
To correct faulty movement, a physiotherapist can help you identify the cause of your mobility issues and work on correcting them through specific exercises or stretches.
And to help you manage pain, a physiotherapist can teach you effective techniques for dealing with pain, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, and dietary changes.
Types Of Physiotherapy
There are a few different types of physiotherapy you may see your physiotherapist for:
Somatic therapy: This type of physiotherapy aims to help the body heal itself. Examples include massage, gentle movement, and trigger point therapy.
Flexibility: This type of physiotherapy works on increasing the flexibility of a muscle, tendon, or ligament.
Hydrotherapy: This type of physiotherapy uses water to help eliminate toxins from your body, increase blood flow, and relax you.
How To Know If You Need Physio
While all types of physiotherapy can benefit the body, there are certain conditions that only physiotherapy can help. Here are some of the most common reasons you may need to see a physiotherapist:
Chronic pain: If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain, such as due to fibromyalgia, arthritis, or a condition such as back pain, seeing a physiotherapist is crucial.
Acute (recent) Injury: If you’ve recently injured yourself, your body will naturally try to heal itself. But in some cases, this process is abnormal and your muscles will become overly fatigued and painful due to the imbalance in your musculoskeletal system. A physiotherapist can help correct this by working on strengthening your muscles and correcting poor movement techniques.
Joint pain: If you’ve been experiencing persistent joint pain, a physiotherapist can help identify its cause and correct it.
How To Find A Good Physio
When it comes to finding a good physio, you have a few options. You can either ask your doctor for a referral or look for a physiotherapist online.
Here are a few questions you can ask your potential physio to help determine if they’re the right fit for you:
- Are you a registered Physiotherapist?
- Get an explanation for your diagnosis.
- Have you seen other people with this condition?
- Does the treatment hurt?
- Is there a timeframe for my treatment?
- What is the length of each session?
Final Words: Should You See A Physiotherapist?
In short, yes! The benefits of seeing a physiotherapist incredibly outweigh the negatives, and seeing a physiotherapist is a great idea.
If you’re experiencing any of the above mentioned symptoms, then please do seek medical attention. Our team at Full Function Rehab & Wellness Clinic in Woodbridge, Vaughan, ON can help you figure out where your pain is coming from and provide the right treatment for it.
We also have a personalized prevention plan that we would be happy to give to you once all of our concerns are addressed! Give us a call today!
