Why Should I See a Physiotherapist?

PhysiowinnipegHealth and WellnessLeave a Comment

Are you asking yourself “Why Should I See A Physiotherapist?” Most likely someone recommended you try physiotherapy and now you’ve decided to find out for yourself if it will be worth your time. Good, the fact that you are researching it means you are already taking a proactive approach to getting better!!

Whether it was a recommendation from your doctor or a friend, most likely they did so because of an injury or disability that is affecting your way of life. While, we are biased because we are physiotherapists, we really cannot think of a reason to NOT seek physiotherapy treatment. Physiotherapists are trained to restore you back to your ability to function normally or limit the amount of Physiotherapy concept.disability an injury or condition may cause. We treat a large variety of conditions from your typical ankle sprain to post-surgical ACL repair to stroke and other neurological disorders. If you visit us and during your initial visit we feel we cannot help, we will definitely, at least, be able to help point you in the right direction. We’re kind of connected in the industry. But, for now, let’s address some commonly asked questions:

Won’t my injury heal on its own?

Yes, you will heal from an ankle sprain and eventually be able to walk and run again. But, if you do not provide the optimal healing environment and discover and correct the deficit that lead you to suffer the injury in the first place, you may be setting yourself up for chronic or recurring injuries. That is the case with a simple ankle sprain. With more serious conditions such as a stroke, fracture, or following a joint surgery, without the proper follow up care you could develop lifelong impairments in your ability to function optimally, which could have been eliminated or reduced with physiotherapy.

But my doctor told me I will need surgery, so what is the point?

Good question. We like to use the analogy of the highly trained athlete who tears a ligament in his knee on the field, has surgery, and is back out there playing in the same season. Due to a variety of reason, he most likely will not respond the same way as before the injury, but the main reason could be the athlete’s physical condition prior to surgery.  The stronger and healthier you are going in to a surgery, the better you will do coming out. And best case scenario, we may be able to help you to avoid surgery all together! A published study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that physiotherapy was just as effective as surgery for a meniscus tear in the knee. So if your physician is thinking you may need surgery for a musculoskeletal injury, ask them if they feel physiotherapy prior to would help, or stop by one of our clinics to get an assessment.

How do I know physiotherapy can help?

Physiotherapists have a high level of knowledge about musculoskeletal conditions as evidenced by another study published in 2005. (see, more proof!) As physiotherapists ourselves, we pride ouselves in our knowledge of the body and also with having the ability to spend time with patients to educate them on their conditions. We typically are able to spend thirty minutes to an hour of one-on-one time with our patients. This allows us quality time with each patient to discuss and explain their injury, their expected outcome, what treatments they will receive and how each treatment will help them to obtain the best possible result.

If you have further questions about whether physiotherapy is a right for you, leave us your question or comment below, or call one of our centers and we will be glad to help!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *