Heal While Moving

There are certain people who are aging, going through the degenerative changes. There are some, shattered because of the stroke attack that changed their life. There is a soldier whose leg got amputated in a war fighting for his country, who now feels useless. There is a woman who gave birth to an angel but is so weak to move now that she doesn’t want to get pregnant again. There is a child who is not like other children of his age. His parents think he will never be able to fit in this competitive world. There is an athlete whose biggest dream was to play the world cup. He worked hard, waited for years, but is not even part of the playing squad because of that one hamstring injury!

Rachel Wolchin once said: “Don’t die before you are dead.”

Losing hope should not even be the option you are left with. Hopes make us willing to live, give us the drive to do something for the betterment, something to make us capable of what we are not for some reason. People without hope cannot be cured even with the best medicine. It is necessary to create motivation and love to live.

Most of the accidentally handicapped people can be recovered with an appropriate rehabilitation program. A good rehabilitator makes his patient a willing person and treats him with the best of capabilities. Nonetheless, make them to carry on for the rest of their lives on their own.

“Rehabilitation is to show a patient what they can do for themselves.” – Karel Lewit

Rehabilitation program is quite a new term. Earlier, treatments were limited to medicines and surgeries but research and development transformed this into specific physical activities in specific condition. Thus, a new way of treatment as a result emerged and that, is Physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy or physical therapy is an exercise therapy where appropriate exercises are used for managing or preventing pain or injuries. These exercises strengthen the muscles and improve its function.

“That which enhances performances, prevents injury.” – Larry Hamilton

“You can reach maximum performance by engaging in physical activities.” – Lailah Gifty

“If exercise was a pill everybody would be on it.” Dr. Anne Fabiny

There are numerous ways of treatments through physiotherapy out of which few are discussed here.

Physiotherapy plays a very important role in orthopedic domain. For those who have no idea about orthopedic, let me tell you it involves our entire musculoskeletal system. From the term it is understood that orthopedic includes muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilages, joints etc. Talking of the role of physiotherapy, it helps in both, pre and post-surgical rehab. Post-surgical rehab manages your post-operative pain and helps to heal quickly. It also helps in bringing the patient to perform their ADLS (Activities of daily living) quicker. But now you all may wonder how the post-surgical rehab works before the surgery?  Educating the patients and counseling them before a surgery is an important factor in the patient’s recovery. Therefore, it prepares the patient mentally. It also reduces the complications one might face during their surgery. So basically physiotherapy helps to prepare us for and recover from orthopedic surgery.

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation improves the health of people living with heart or lung diseases or those who have had recent cardiac surgeries. Exercise plays an important role in pumping your heart to make your cardiovascular system work. Cardiac rehabilitation also includes in educating your patient so that they can manage their risk factors. There are three basic risk factors; smoking, unhealthy diet and stress. So yes, cardiac rehab plays a significant role in improving your heart’s future.

Engaging in physical activities and sports is so much popular these days. We have a number of professional athletes and people who take part in recreational activities. Sports physiotherapy deals with the physical injuries sustained by athletes. Sports physiotherapists provide advice and promote safe physical activity participation. They guide on how to restore the optimal function and most importantly they guide on the enhancement of sports performance.

Other domains where physiotherapy has scientifically proven to prevent pain and injuries are neurological disorders, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatric.

So, never for a minute think that a physical damage can stop you from moving on with life because Physiotherapy and other domains that I have mentioned in this article definitely shall help you heal while moving. Remember, mental strength is key to fighting physical weaknesses.

Bisma Ahmed

Bisma Ahmed is a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Pakistan who is also fond of reading and drawing. She also wishes to bring an awareness among people about the importance on Physiotherapies and hope for humanity.

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