PHYSICAL therapy is, sadly, a misunderstood science in our country. Majority of Filipinos think that a physical therapist is just a glorified masahista.
They know little of what these professionals can do to help people live a better life.
A field in medicine, physical therapy focuses on rehabilitation and restoration of function of the disabled. It uses various physical modalities such as heat, cold, water, pressure and sound for treatment and care.
Now, what on earth does that mean?
Perhaps you have these pink six-inch-high heels you swear you couldn’t live without. You twist your ankle in a bad fall. Of course the world tells you to put ice on it and all.
Do you know there are exercises you can do after the injury to help strengthen your foot and prevent you from getting ankle sprain again?
Physical therapists are licensed professionals who can prescribe therapeutic exercises to restore the body to a normal and healthy state.
Physical therapists mastered their skills working for a five-year science degree. They study human anatomy and physiology, and there’s hardly a muscle in your body they couldn’t name.
They could probably recite in their sleep parts of your heart, your skull, your entire skeleton. They also possess the skill to use this information in clinical practice.
Big toys
And, yes, PTs have their big toys, too. From the simple hot moist packs to the complex Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation machine, a variety of equipment is used for treatment.
They manipulate infrared radiation lamps, diathermies, laser and ultrasound machines, and traction machines to treat different conditions, from simple back pain to Bell’s palsy.
In the Philippines, physical therapists work in hospitals and treat patients with various ailments such as stroke, cerebral palsy.
Physical therapy meets other health needs of even the general healthy public.
Your favorite basketball team? That popular Olympic athlete? Behind their success are good physical therapists who train them in proper resistance exercises, who monitor and improve their body mechanics, who mobilize every joint.
Behind them are physical therapists who take care of every ligament tear, muscle fatigue, or tendinitis, who stretch every tight hamstring.
Behind these people are physical therapists who ensure that their clients’ bodies remain perfect well-oiled machines, so they can live their life, play their game, and earn that gold medal.
Physical therapists are not merely masahistas. Not to undermine the craft of the massage therapists, but physical therapy has more to offer than what the public seems to know.
If you are suffering from chronic back pain, if you suspect a serious nerve injury, or if a painful shoulder is bothering you, they are the guys you can go to.
