Physiotherapy is a highly effective tool for recovering from an injury or managing a long-term disease like osteoarthritis. It aids recovery and restoration of mobility, strength and normal function after an injury. Physiotherapists use evidence informed treatment techniques and exercise to help relieve pain and improve your mobility. Exercise, not a full sweat kind of workout, but exercise to maintain the gains you made during your treatment session will be part of your home program. Physiotherapists draw on their university training of how the human body works. Here’s an overview of six benefits of physiotherapy:
1. Managing Pain
A physiotherapist understands various conditions such as sports-related ACL tears, golfers’ elbow, and hamstring tears. Physiotherapy is effective in relieving pain and restoring normal function. Sometimes using an electric modalities like TENS, IFC or ultrasound maybe a good idea. Physiotherapists are also trained in in manual therapy. Manual therapy includes soft tissue massageor release, joint mobilization and even joint manipulation.
2. Improves Posture & Strength
Musculoskeletal issues, such as back, neck, and shoulder pain and disc herniation can result from poor posture. Standing, sitting, or even stretching for longer than you are used to can result in pain and discomfort. A physiotherapist can identify postural issues and offer suggestions on how you can correct them to avoid pain in your joints, muscles, and ligaments. Sometimes the issue is your muscles need more endurance to keep you in the posture you need to be in. Strength or endurance exercises for postural muscles may be part of your individual treatment program.
3. Injury Prevention & Recovery
Physiotherapy is a perfect proactive measure for preventing injury. Physiotherapists are trained at observing movement. We can identify potentially poor (or less than efficient) movement patterns and show you how to work out of those patterns. One classic example is non-contact ACL tears in teen girl soccer players. Evidence shows girls/ women land and pivot differently and this seems to result in a higher rate of ACL tears. Evidence also shows that with education and a few “corrections” to these patterns the risk of injury can be decreased. Any issue with strength and flexibility will also be addressed if needed.
It’s easier to prevent injuries when fully fit and strong since your muscles, joints, and ligaments can withstand the pressure. Physiotherapy is also central in injury recovery. You’ll need routine practice to achieve maximum recovery, especially after a ligament tear or a muscle injury such as a hamstring tear.
4. Lung and Heart Benefits
Physiotherapy involves movement aiming to restore normal function and flexibility. Being able to be active every day of the week is important. The Canadian Activity Guidelines recommends 150 minutes a week. If you have muscle or joint pain it can be hard to get moving and get your minutes in. The result is that your cardiac fitness will suffer and this can affect your overall health. Coming in for physiotherapy to address your inury or pain will help get you moving back to the sport or activity you love. Did you know strength training of all your major muscle groups will also help get your heart rate elevated? Not into the cardio zone but that’s ok. Not all your workouts need to be peak heart rate! Anything that helps your heart beat and move your blood around will improve your metabolic function. A physiotherapist can help you boost cardiovascular function and lung capacity and gain the inherent benefits of a physical workout.
5. Managing Disease & Conditions
Physiotherapy is core in managing various diseases and conditions by helping you move better, stronger and with less pain. The side benefit is that through physical activity many chronic conditions can be better managed. Conditions such as diabetes, heart/ respiratory and arthritis are all improved with activity. Many mental health experts are also recongizing the importance of regular phsycial activyt especially in nature for managing stress and depression. Physiotherapists can also help relieve postpartum back pain and show you how to start strengthening your core after having a baby.
6. Maintaining Athletic Performance
Athletes often need the help of a physiotherapist to recover flexibility, strength and endurance after an injury or in preparing for the new season of their sport. If you are working on staying fit physiotherapy can be a way to support your athletic performance. Your physiotherapist will work with you to increase your strength and flexibility where you need it. Our goal is also to provide you with information/ education so you can help yourself too!
Physiotherapy Assessment and Treatment
Our bodies are amazing! 600 muscles, 206 bones and trillions of nerves all working to keep us moving all day every day. When you have pain moving you may need help from a physiotherapist to get you back to the activities you love.
Whether you need strength, better mobility or to manage a chronic condition like arthritis physiotherapy will help you achieve your goals. At Stittsville Sport Physio, we leverage our experience and evidence-based practices to provide comprehensive and individualized physiotherapy. You’ll undergo a thorough assessment to understand your injury and we will work with you to get you back to what you love! Come see the difference experience makes right in the heart of Stittsville.