At least as early as the days of Hippocrates, massage was used and the history of physiotherapy was begun. The practice of physiotherapy has evolved through the centuries from the earliest forms to the complex system of treatment it is now. In 460 B.C. Hector was using a type of physiotherapy called hydrotherapy, or water therapy. Professionals use this type of therapy today, although it is more specialized for each type of condition that the patients have. In 1894, there is the first evidence of a group of nurses in the history of physiotherapy with a Chartered Society. Within twenty years, physiotherapy programs were set up in other countries. New Zealand's started in 1913 and America's in 1914.
Physiotherapists are health care professionals who focus on prevention, assessment and treatment of physical disorders and the promotion of movement and health. Physiotherapists provide valuable health care for people throughout their life – from birth to old age.
There are many kind of treatments physiotherapists use. Heat, ice, and ultrasound are used to relieve pain and stiffness. Massage, chiropractic, and other hands-on methods are important. All these methods tend to promote better health, both physical and psychological. Equipment for helping patients regain their strength and mobility are a part of what is physiotherapy. This equipment may allow a person who is partially paralyzed to get the most exercise possible. This is crucial in maintaining the integrity of their spines and muscles.
For instance, physiotherapists can:
- Prevent and treat sports injuries;
- Restore and increase range of motion in joints;
- Increase co-ordination;
- Counsel and education in pre- and post-natal care;
- Design user-friendly homes and workplaces;
- Educate clients in the use of devices such as canes, crutches and wheelchairs;
- Help injured individuals return to work successfully
And also various area that physiotherapist work in:
- Outpatients
- Intensive Care Units
- Women’s Health
- Care of Elderly
- Neurology
- Orthopedics and Trauma
- Mental Illness
- People with Learning Difficulties
- Occupational Health
- Terminally Ill (Palliative Care)
- Pediatrics
- Community
- Private Sector
- Education and Health Promotion
- Sports clinics
- Voluntary Organizations
REFERENCES
-http://www.physiotherapyfoundation.ca/about_what_is_physiotherapy.html -http://www.med.monash.edu.au/physiotherapy/whatisphysio.html -http://www.thephysiotherapysite.co.uk/physiotherapy/physiotherapists/what-is-physiotherapy
By : Nora Syakilla
