Physiotherapy: Real and effective treatment

According to the medical dictionary a placebo is "a substance containing no medication and prescribed or given to reinforce a patient's expectation to get well."

If you have ever received physiotherapy treatment you will realise that physiotherapy is not a substance, neither is it used as a control to determine the effectiveness of any drug. As a matter of fact, physiotherapy is not connected to drugs or substances in any way. Physiotherapy is a science-based practice that has as its focus the overall management of movement and your general physical condition.

The following points prove that physiotherapy is not a placebo:

1. It is scientific. Before beginning treatment, the therapist assesses the patient in order to establish a baseline for treatment. He/she then formulates measurable goals for recovery depending on your prior level of function and lifestyle. During the course of treatment you are reassessed against these goals.
2. Physiotherapy is interactive. You do not sit passively and allow the therapist to do something to you, like when a nurse is applying a bandage or attaching an IV. You are taught exercises to help strengthen and correct any type of movement dysfunction. You are expected to participate actively in your recovery.
3. Physiotherapy is direct and hands-on. Pain management through direct applications of heat, cold or electrical treatments, massage, exercise, manual therapy and other forms of manipulation constitute the basis of a physiotherapy program. Stretching and strengthening exercises form the basis of your program.
4. Physiotherapy is dynamic. Your treatment is not static. The program is graded according to your progress, helping you reach your optimum potential. If, as happens in rare cases, you regress, your treatment can be downgraded to allow you to continue therapy.

Pay us a visit, and you'll agree. Physiotherapy is not a placebo. It's the real deal.