Physiotherapy
What is physiotherapy?
The heart of the physiotherapy profession… is understanding how and why movement and function take place. Physiotherapists are highly skilled health professionals who provide safe, quality client-centred physiotherapy through a commitment to service availability, accessibility and excellence.
Physiotherapy is a primary care, client-focused health profession dedicated to improving quality of life by:
- Promoting optimal mobility, physical activity and overall health and wellness;
- Preventing disease, injury, and disability;
- Managing acute and chronic conditions, activity limitations, and participation restrictions;
- Improving and maintaining optimal functional independence and physical performance;
- Rehabilitating injury and the effects of disease or disability with therapeutic exercise programs and other interventions; and
- Educating and planning maintenance and support programs to prevent re-occurrence, re-injury or functional decline.
- Physiotherapy is anchored in movement sciences and aims to enhance or restore function of multiple body systems. The profession is committed to health, lifestyle and quality of life. This holistic approach incorporates a broad range of physical and physiological therapeutic interventions and aids.
What does a physiotherapist do?
Physiotherapy interventions include, but are by no means limited to, the
following broad categories:
Education, consultation, health promotion and prevention services.
Personalized therapeutic exercise including testing and conditioning, neurotherapeutic approaches to improve strength, range of motion, and function.
Soft tissue and manual therapy techniques; including massage, spinal and peripheral joint mobilization and manipulation.
Physical, electrotherapeutic and mechanical agents; and
acupuncture.
Cardiorespiratory techniques include airway clearance methods. Skin and wound care.
Management of incontinence including pelvic floor re-education.
Functional activity and tolerance testing and training.
Work and occupational re-training and return to work planning.
Prescription, fabrication and application of assistive, adaptive, supportive and protective devices and equipment.
Environmental change, focusing on removing barriers to function.