7 Professional Therapies Your Physio Can Recommend

Have you recently suffered a sports injury? Or perhaps your child is about to undergo scoliosis correction? If this is the case, your medical practitioner may have referred you to a physiotherapist.

There is a wide range of reasons why locals visit the physio Noosaville doctors recommend. These experts can assist with everything from remedial massage for chronic pain to providing aftercare treatment for spinal surgery. This post takes a closer look at some of the more common therapies and treatments your local physiotherapist can assist with.

Look Forward to Expert Pain Relief

Physiotherapy is typically defined as treatment focused on restoring movement and regular function through various methods such as exercise, education, and manual therapy. The ultimate goal includes teaching a patient to manage pain and, in many cases, increase mobility. A specialised care regime will drastically improve a patient’s quality of life. That said, here’s a list of the various treatments and services you can expect from your physio.

1.     Massage Therapy

Physiotherapy doesn’t have to be complex or extensive for it to be effective. In some instances,  a few sessions of correctly applied massage is all it takes for a patient to experience pain relief. There are various types of massage treatments that your physio can apply. The most common include the following:

• Relaxation massages to soothe and encourage healing in your nervous system.
• Remedial massage in the form of deep pressure massage and Swedish massage.
• Pregnant and postnatal massage to treat pregnancy and post-birth aches and pains.

2.     Paediatric Physiotherapy

Children may also sometimes need physiotherapy. This can be in the form of pre- and post op rehab services. In this regard, the most common issues physios provide care for are listed as:

• MPFL reconstruction
• ACL reconstruction
• Ankle & shoulder stabilisation surgery
• Spinal surgery – scoliosis correction
• Joint replacements – knees and hips

Children who are experiencing developmental delays or suffering from birth-related issues are often also referred for routine physiotherapy. This not only teaches the children to move and function in their daily lives but also helps the parents develop realistic expectations of what to expect as the child grows up. Commonly, this includes treatment for conditions such as:

• Torticollis
• Plagiocephaly
• Brachial Plexus Palsy

3.     Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Sports physiotherapy is possibly one of the more popular physio fields, and treatment of sport-related injuries is what most people associate physio with. It’s important to note that any injury that hampers your mobility is usually referred to as a sports injury. This can include the following types of ailments and injuries:

• Overuse injuries such as stress reactions/fractures and tendinopathy
• Hip and groin pain
• Pre and post-surgical rehabilitation
• Tennis elbow
• Knee pain (includes patella femoral pain, meniscal tears, and ligamentous injuries)
• ACL reconstructions
• Rotator cuff injury or surgery
• TMJ and Jaw pain

4.     Myotherapy

For patients who suffer from arthritis or headache-related ailments such as migraines, your physio may recommend myotherapy. This form of physiotherapy is used to prevent or treat soft tissue pain. It’s also the most recommended way to treat joint pain caused by myofascial or muscle pain.

In myotherapy treatment, the immediate symptoms and the underlying cause are assessed and treated. This is done in a variety of ways, which typically include:

• Cupping
• Dry needling
• Trigger point therapy
• Electrotherapy
• Remedial massage

5.     Osteopathy

This type of physiotherapy usually focuses on broad treatment of issues related to the neuro-musculoskeletal system. For the most part, this includes aid with the rehab of muscles, nerves, bones, and soft tissues that support daily function and movement.

Musculoskeletal injuries are commonly treated with spinal manipulation, soft tissue massage techniques, and gentle rhythmic joint movements. The most common ailments that are treated include:

• Lower back pain
• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Shoulder and hip pain
• TMJ and jaw pain
• Increasing functional capacity and decreasing pain

6.     Women’s Health

Physiotherapy can also be used to treat many different health conditions specific to women’s health. Australian women most commonly seek treatment for the following:

• Pre and postnatal care
• Breast cancer services
• Incontinence
• Breast care
• Prolapse

7.     Men’s Health

It’s also quite common to find pelvic health specialists as part of a physiotherapy centre. These individuals focus primarily on men’s health issues. A few of the more commonly treated conditions include the following:

• Dealing with the effects of prostate cancer and prostate surgery (such as incontinence and bladder retraining)
• Bladder urgency, frequency, and incontinence
• Pelvic pain
• Pre and post-radical prostatectomy

Final Thoughts

Physiotherapy is effective for providing pain relief for many different conditions. Whether you’ve been prescribed a few massage sessions or require a more extensive and personalised treatment plan, the good news is that your physio will strive to restore your muscles and ligaments to their most functional state. If you’re suffering from any of the conditions listed above, it may be time to ask your regular doctor for a referral to your local physio!