Different Types of Physical Therapy That You Can Consider
Posted on: 15 July 2019
Have you ever felt consistent pain, and no matter what you do, it will not go away? Or did you injure yourself or come from surgery, and you want to recover fast? Well, consider trying physical therapy. When most people hear the word physical therapy, what immediately comes in mind is that their bodies have a problem that requires immediate rehabilitation. And, this notion is a little far from the truth.
Physiotherapy is not only for individuals who have sustained injuries or come from surgery; it can also help you relieve stress from your day-to-day activity. The different types of physio you can consider to help relieve stress and allow your body to function with no pain include:
Exercise
Exercise is any physical activity you do regularly that helps strengthen your body and improve your endurance, flexibility and coordination. Exercise can be any form of physical activity that causes you to stretch your limits. It can be anything, even walking to the park and back home every day. The extra distance helps you improve your muscle functionality, and this is key, especially in physical therapy.
Heat and Ice application
Another type of physio you can consider is heat and ice application. Applying heat and ice to the injured area not only reduces the pain, it also helps heal and relax soft tissues and muscles around the injured area. Heat causes the blood vessels to expand. The more they expand, the easier it is for blood to flow to the injured area, causing the soft tissue and muscles to relax. Once the muscles are relaxed, you immediately experience a decrease in pain.
While ice application on injuries causes the blood vessels to become less porous. This enables them to allow the flow of fluid into the tissues around the injured area. This ultimately results in reduced swelling. It can also be a solution for reducing muscle spasms after a vigorous exercise routine.
Manual therapy
This is simply a form of physio treatment that is performed by hand with the exclusion of machines and devices. Its primary objective is to reduce pain, make you relax and improve flexibility. This type of physio includes:
Massage: This allows the physiotherapist to apply pressure on your muscle, and this eases pain, helps you relax and improves blood circulation.
Manipulation: This form of treatment involves the forceful and rapid movement of your joints and bones, and it can be quite aggressive.
Whatever form of physical treatment you choose, make sure you consult with your doctor first, especially if you just had surgery.
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