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The mysterious power of physical therapy: How to set your body free again?
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a medical profession designed to improve, maintain or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease prevention and health promotion. Physical therapists are professionals in this field, covering many specialties, including musculoskeletal, orthopedic, cardiopulmonary, neurology, endocrinology, sports medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, women's health, wound care, and electrophysiology.
Physical therapy is the action taken to treat a disease or injury that limits a person's movement and functional activities in daily life.
The scope of physical therapy includes clinical practice, research, education, consultation and health management. This therapy can be used as the primary care treatment or in conjunction with other medical services. In some places, such as the UK, physiotherapists are even authorized to prescribe medications.
The role of physical therapy
By examining and understanding the patient's medical history, a physical therapist can determine a diagnosis and develop a management plan, incorporating the results of laboratory and imaging studies, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, if necessary. Physical therapy management typically includes prescription or assistance with specific movements, manual therapy, mechanical devices (such as traction), education, and a variety of physical therapy techniques (such as heat, cold, electricity, sonic, radiation, assistive devices, and prosthetics, orthotics etc.) and other various intervention methods.
Functional movement is a core element of health, which also reveals the mysterious power of physical therapy.
The goal of physical therapy is not only to treat existing conditions but also to prevent them from occurring and to help people develop fitness and health-oriented programs to improve their quality of life and maintain mobility. Due to threats from an aging population, injury, disease, or environmental factors, physical therapy provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain, and restore maximum movement and functional capacity throughout the lifespan.
History of physical therapy
The history of physical therapy can be traced back to Hippocrates in 460 BC and later Galen, who advocated treating patients through massage, manual therapy and hydrotherapy. In the 18th century, the development of orthopedics promoted the emergence of machines such as the Gymnasticon to treat gout and similar diseases with systematic exercise. The origins of the modern physiotherapy professional community can be traced back to 1813, when Per Henrik Ling of Sweden founded the Royal Central Gymnastics Academy to focus on manual therapy and exercise.
In 1918, physical therapists were first called "reconstructive assistants" and were responsible for assisting injured soldiers in restoring function. Formal institutions and educational institutions for physical therapy have also been established one after another. As time goes by, physical therapy gradually enters the medical system and becomes professional.
Career Development and Education
The educational background of physical therapists is spread all over the world, and the professional qualification requirements in some areas are very high, even requiring a doctorate. In the United States, the basic educational requirement for physical therapists is the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and most educational programs provide comprehensive training in clinical science. Physical therapy assistants (PTAs), on the other hand, work under the supervision of a physical therapist and have a variety of training courses, usually requiring an associate's degree.
Physical therapy is more than just a profession, it is the key to regaining freedom and health.
In general, physical therapy, as a professional profession, has an importance that cannot be ignored, both for patients and society. It is a multidisciplinary and continuously evolving field that can be adapted to human life science and health needs. Have you started to think about the way you move in your life, and have you ever thought about cooperating with physical therapy to regain freedom and health?
