I thought physiotherapy is just TNS/ultrasound for 10 -15 minutes and exercises shown to practice at home! - This is the common remark of my patients when they get to know the treatment plans and recover from the pain they were suffering for a long time. They ask me How do we know if we are getting the right treatment and have consulted the right physiotherapist? While the skilled and the ordinary both may have the necessary qualifications and training to work as physiotherapists, there are several key factors that set the best ones apart.
ASSESSMENT OVER TREATMENT :
A good PT will pay more attention to the assessment of patients, talking to them, and understanding their problems, lifestyle, their habits to find out the root cause of the problem rather than jumping towards the diagnosis and implementing the treatment straight away. They will assess the “whole person” rather than isolating the part of your body that is causing pain.
Physiotherapy is understanding the injured structures and rehabilitating them with great precision over a period of time. And that’s why a sportsperson understands the concept of physiotherapy better than a common patient. For e.g. If a patient has had an ankle sprain he feels that a machine or physio equipment to reduce pain and swelling is the normal treatment protocol. But the fact is reducing pain and swelling is only the first line of treatment. Actual physio starts after the reduction of pain and swelling.
By forming authentic relationships with their patients, physiotherapists can establish links and gather crucial information to aid in diagnosis. This can include learning about a patient’s heredity or genetics, culture, or family history to explain their response to pain or deformity. With their knowledge of anatomy, musculoskeletal injuries, diseases, and their understanding of the body’s mechanics, they can guide patients about what is happening, treatment options, the duration for recovery, and the effects on their daily life.
HOLISTIC APPROACH WHICH IS MORE PATIENT-CENTERED :
As every person is unique, so are their body types, their pain thresholds, and their lifestyle. You cannot treat every patient with the same plan or routine. A physiotherapist should ask lots of questions to understand if the patient is healing at the required pace or not. A personalized approach with a customized treatment plan according to the patient’s goals, needs, and lifestyle will do wonders rather to a disease-specific plan.
A good physiotherapist will communicate clearly with you about your condition, treatment options, and expected outcomes. They will explain the purpose of each treatment and answer any questions you may have.
If you get an appointment with your therapist for 15 minutes, spending more time alone with a machine than with your therapist each appointment, you should look for other options that provide you with a more effective personalized plan.
HOME EXERCISES AND TEACHING TECHNIQUES :
A good physiotherapist should provide you with a home exercise program that you can do on your own to help you continue to progress between sessions.
The best physio will make you learn/re-learn a lot of good lifestyle changes and unlearn many bad habits. If certain joint positions still hurt slightly the injury hasn't healed completely and the physio should make patients realize this. This is called patient education which is an integral part of any treatment protocol. Patients should understand how to do it properly, exercises if done wrong can cause more harm than good.
REGULAR EVALUATIONS AND LONG-TERM SUPPORT :
A good physiotherapist should regularly evaluate your progress to determine if your treatment plan is effective and make any necessary adjustments.
Recovery can be difficult, it needs the support of someone who is reliable and can understand you. Your therapist should be able to gauge your pain and should not neglect or ignore your complaints.
Like an ankle sprain is a ligament injury. Till the ligament is healed completely rehab is not complete. It is a big responsibility on the shoulders of a physio to make a sportsperson play to his full functional capacity and avoid the recurrence of symptoms. Physio would also be with you till your injury is healed completely and will also make you aware that even if there are certain joint positions still hurts. In this way, a patient can be educated to take care of his/her injury & prevent a recurrence.
Overall, the best physiotherapists are highly skilled, compassionate, and committed to providing personalized care that meets the unique needs of each patient. They help their patients achieve optimal outcomes and improve their quality of life.
Do you want to know if your recurring pains can be treated completely?
You can book an online consultation with us and we can guide you to the best treatment plans for a speedy recovery.
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