08 Sep 2018  |   06:00am IST

Celebrating World Physiotherapy Day

World Physiotherapy Day, celebrated every year on September 8, is a global event recognising the incredible role physiotherapists play in the community. This year’s World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) campaign focuses on ‘Physical Therapy and Mental Health’, reiterating the prominent effect that physiotherapy and physical activity has in mental health. Dr Melissa Luis PT, Sports Physiotherapist, FC Goa, shares her experience of being in the field

 

The aim of physiotherapy is to rehabilitate and

improve a person’s ability to move and function. It is a non-invasive, drug-free, evidence-based clinical health science that makes use of a combination of manual therapy, movement training and physical and electro-physical agents in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by ageing, injury, pain, diseases, disorders, conditions or environmental factors and with the understanding that functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy.

Dr Melissa Luis PT is a Sports Physiotherapist for FC Goa and strength and conditioning trainer and a member of Indian Association of Physiotherapists Women’s Cell (IAPWC). Physiotherapists or Physical therapists (PTs) are highly-educated, movement and exercise experts and licensed primary health care professionals. “Our main interest is to identify and maximise your quality of life. When a person’s function or mobility is affected by pain, ageing, injury, disease, disability or long periods of inactivity, the physiotherapist is the health professional qualified to complete a full medical check up of the patient. This check up focuses on the person as a whole, that is, the physiotherapist will consider not only the physical but also the psychological, emotional and social wellbeing of each patient with the view to reaching a diagnosis and developing the most appropriate treatment plan to promote wellbeing, mobility and independence in people of all ages,” explains Dr Melissa.

The techniques used in physiotherapy today have evolved since the time of Hippocrates’ massages. Each area of physiotherapy intervention has its own specialised techniques and is based on scientific evidence. In today’s complex world, there are even physiotherapists specialised in various areas such as:neuro-physiotherapy, orthopaedic physiotherapy, sports/musculoskeletal physiotherapy, paediatric physiotherapy, geriatric physiotherapy, oncology physiotherapy, obstetrics and gynaecology physiotherapy, cardiovascular and respiratory physiotherapy and community based physiotherapy.

There are many reasons physical activity is good for our body – having a healthy heart and improving our joints, muscles and bones are two reasons – but did you know being physically active can also benefit your mental health and wellbeing? “We need to change how we view physical activity and see it as something we do because we value the positive difference it makes to our physical and mental health and wellbeing. Exercise is an evidence-based treatment for people with depression, and physiotherapists work with people who may have depression alongside long-term health issues. Getting and staying physically active will help improve your physical and mental health,” advises Dr Melissa. The IAPWC are organising ‘free physiotherapy camps’ across the state, where one can talk to a physiotherapist and discover an exercise or activity you find enjoyable and have fun.

To conclude, she says, “Physios! Get involved! Whether you’re in a rehabilitation centre, hospital or practice, join in the celebration. The day will be widely publicised on social media, using the #WorldPTDay hashtag. Across the world, more than a million physiotherapists have an opportunity to educate, enable and empower people of all ages to increase their physical activity. This global event is an opportunity to promote the crucial role you play in keeping populations well and independent, ultimately leading to an increased quality of life, fulfilling what we strive to do, ‘adding life to years’. Happy World Physiotherapy Day!”