Cutting Edge Physiotherapy in Edmonton
Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, is a science-based health profession that promotes healing from injury, disease, or disability. The goal is to restore movement and functionality to the patient’s full potential. Physical therapy is an independent profession in which practitioners make their clinical evaluations and treatment decisions. They constantly review the results of their treatments and adapt their approach.
What Do Physiotherapists Treat?
Physiotherapists evaluate, treat, and manage a wide range of physical problems. These relate to the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, and systems of the body. This article focuses on physiotherapy for musculoskeletal disorders.
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Musculoskeletal physiotherapists can treat problems related to bones, muscles, nerves, tendons, cartilage, joints, and ligaments. In particular, they can help with the following conditions:
Spinal Problems – back pain, degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, slipped disc, spinal stenosis, neck pain, neck injuries, sciatica, whiplash, and osteoporosis.
Soft Tissue Injuries – repetitive strain injury, knee injuries, knee pain, hamstring injury, patellar tendonitis, ACL tear, meniscus tear, shoulder pain, groin pain, rotator cuff pain, tendonitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel, wrist pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, foot pain, and a sprained ankle.
Rheumatological Problems – rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), spondylitis (AS), ankylosing, gout, joint pain, fibromyalgia, and psoriatic arthritis.
Rehabilitation – laminectomy, lumbar fusion, discectomy, hip replacement, and knee replacement.
Pregnancy – Leg pain, lower back pain, pubic symphysis pain, sacroiliac joint pain, and sciatica.
Physiotherapy also includes exercise and movement, hydrotherapy, manual therapy, as well as other approaches.
Exercise and Movement
Physiotherapists evaluate a patient’s ability to exercise. They take into account the joint’s range of motion, balance, coordination, sensitivity, strength, and the task at hand. Exercise strengthens the muscles, increases freedom of movement, and improves coordination and balance. Physical activity and exercise are effective in treating and preventing many chronic diseases.
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is essential during rehabilitation. The joints make small gliding and sliding motions as we move through a range of motion. We can’t do these movements alone, they only occur with the main movement. After an injury, these internal joint movements may become restricted and limit your ability to move your joints.
A physical therapist can use controlled passive movements to loosen injured tissues and joints. Passive movements are those movements made by another person and not by ourselves. Small, repetitive movements of the joints are called mobilization techniques. These are always under the control of the patient as they can easily tense up and stop the movement.
If you are looking to relieve chronic pain or have suffered a recent injury, visiting a physiotherapy clinic in Edmonton can help improve your quality of life. Performance Chiropractic + Physiotherapy can help you prevent future injuries and restore your health.
