As we talked about in our last blog post, there are many different types of physiotherapy, and now we are here to talk about the benefits of physiotherapy. Here at Advantage Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy at our St Albert and Edmonton locations, our physiotherapists are well trained and experienced in providing care to their patients at any age, with a wide range of injuries or illnesses. One of the goals of physiotherapy is to improve an individual’s quality of life through customized treatment plans. There are many ways that these treatment plans can benefit our patients, such as:
Pain Management
Our passive treatment methods include intramuscular needling, cupping, and manual manipulation, which can help with short-term relief. These treatment techniques facilitate the patient’s ability to perform the exercises to promote feeling and moving better. However, the benefits of passive treatments may not last forever, but when combined with an active approach, you may reach your rehabilitation goals sooner.
Active treatment methods
Specific exercises given by your physiotherapist can promote positive adaptations in your body, including stronger tissues and a more robust nervous system for pain management. The exercises prescribed by your physiotherapist will continue to challenge your body and continue to create adaptations. These adaptations can correlate to a reduced risk of reinjury in the future.
Decrease the risk of reinjury
The unique programs your physiotherapist will make for you can help with strength, endurance, flexibility, stability, and balance. Working with physiotherapists and their team of kinesiologists and strength and conditioning coaches can also provide you with preventative programs, known as prehabilitation, to avoid injuries from happening in the first place. In addition, being proactive can help you continue to do things you enjoy without having to take time off or stop those activities altogether.
Rehab before surgery
Having a supervised exercise program is also beneficial for individuals before surgery as it may accelerate your return to function or sport.
Managing neurological and vestibular disorders
Physiotherapists can improve neurological and vestibular symptoms due to things like concussions or car accidents. By increasing strength, balance, eye tracking, focus, and multitasking, physiotherapists can help improve your neurological symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, neck pain, double vision, troubles focusing or eye-tracking. Physiotherapists can also provide rehabilitation in people who have suffered spinal cord damage or people with neurological diseases such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
Managing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions
Physiotherapy practitioners can support and increase an individual’s aerobic capacity for those suffering from disease and injuries that affect the heart and lungs, like heart attacks or COPD.
Manage and prevent age-related conditions
These are conditions such as arthritis and osteoarthritis, which is the swelling or inflammation and breakdown in one or more of the joints, most commonly in the hips, knees, and hands. A handful of modifiable risk factors prevent these conditions, the biggest one being exercise and movement. Here at Advantage Sport Medicine and Physio, we have the programs and resources to teach individuals more about their condition, reduce symptoms, and educate with our GLA:D programs. In addition, if we can promote individuals moving in a complete and controlled range of motion, it can become more familiar and more comfortable for the individuals.
Managing and preventing women’s health concerns
Exercise is beneficial for pregnant women as it can decrease their chance of developing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Exercise can also help promote healthy labour and delivery. Physiotherapists can help recommend what is best for you and your baby, as well as provide support post-birth with post-partum care, incontinence, and pelvic floor dysfunction.
Improving mood
Exercise is beneficial because your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals that positively affect your brain. This can help with our mood and can decrease stress.
Improving sleep quality
Exercise and the endorphins the body produces can correlate to longer, better, and deeper sleep. This is because exercise helps the body decompress and relax. It is also our body’s way of replenishing energy stores and recovering from physical activity.
Our unique clinic for physiotherapy South Edmonton and St. Albert offers multi-disciplinary services and a top-tier group of therapists to help you achieve your goals. At Advantage Sport Medicine and Physiotherapy, our dedicated team of physiotherapists, athletic therapists, kinesiologists, strength and conditioning coaches, and sports medicine physicians will help you develop a tailored rehabilitation plan. Please book an appointment to talk to us about how physiotherapy can benefit you.