Orthopedic physiotherapy is a specialized area within the physical therapy field that focuses on providing an accurate assessment to each patient, along with the proper diagnosis and treatment of various musculoskeletal injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries are injuries to joints, muscles, bones, soft tissues and/or nerves. The most common treated pathologies are neck and back pain, shoulder pain, as well as hip and knee injuries.
In what situations is it indicated?
Some pathologies treated by orthopedic rehabilitation specialists are:
Ligament injuries (sprains, breaks)
Muscle injuries
Cartilage injuries
Dislocations
Fractures
Joint degeneration (arthritis, osteoarthritis)
Back pathologies
Injuries requiring surgery (preoperative and postoperative)
These injuries may be severe enough to where the doctor has to evaluate and treat the patient to optimize and accelerate the recovery process. After the orthopedic rehabilitation evaluation, the physiotherapist works with the patient to establish objectives and develop an appropriate physiotherapy plan. Some of the treatments that the physiotherapist can use are:
Manual therapy
Therapeutic exercises
Massage therapy
Electrotherapy
Prevention and health measures
The therapist will choose the most appropriate treatment based on the initial evaluation of the patient, the scientific evidence of the treatments for each pathology and on the clinical experience itself. Each treatment has several main objectives:
Optimize the healing process of the injury
Decrease pain
Decrease inflammation
Restore mobility
Increase strength
Restore normal movement
Increase patient autonomy
Prevent relapse
The physiotherapist will take into account all these objectives when developing the rehab treatment plan. Following either conservative treatments or surgical treatments in the hospital or clinic, an orthopedics rehab doctor will focus on the patient’s mobility while reducing their pain. This should be achieved with the help of scientifically proven therapeutic concepts.
Understanding therapy
Therapists from the fields of physical therapy, exercise therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition counseling and psychology provide people with an optimal range of treatment options to help the patient get back to everyday life. A rehabilitation center focuses on the combination of various therapies and preventive measures in orthopedic rehabilitation to promote each person’s health. Therapeutic massages, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological care are parts of therapy offered in a rehabilitation center. Individual and group therapies should promote your recovery process quickly and efficiently.
orthopedic rehabilitation 