Whether prescribed as part of a treatment plan or recommended by a friend, physiotherapy is a versatile means of relieving aches and pains, aiding recovery, and optimising your movement.
Made up of a series of exercises and stretches, as well as tailored massage therapy and other specialist advice, physiotherapy is a physical approach to injury, disease, or underlying conditions. It uses movement to help alleviate and counterbalance symptoms, often relying on the body’s own weight for resistance as well as the hands-on expertise of professionals.
What’s more, physio in Essex is also a popular method in helping to reduce the risk of further injury – helping patients of all ages to exercise in ways which keep them fit and strong. It achieves this through a holistic approach to health management, using the skills of highly trained physiotherapists who devise a program of stretches and movements for each individual patient.
Here are three of the top benefits of physiotherapy for patients, as offered by therapists in Essex.
1. It helps to relieve pain
Perhaps the most popular reason for booking a physiotherapy session, or visiting a physiotherapist, is for the relief of pain and other symptoms linked with underlying conditions or injuries. When bones, joints, or soft tissues become damaged they lead to pain which is exacerbated through a lack of movement or through continued movement. Likewise, when an individual suffers from a chronic or underlying condition, they may experience pain as a side effect or symptom – something which can become debilitating without the right treatment.
Physiotherapy uses tailored exercises to improve your overall strength, combined with what’s called manual therapy to relieve pain and stiffness. This means that your physiotherapist will combine stretches and repeated movements with massage to help alleviate stiffness.
2. It helps to enhance movement and flexibility
Another major benefit linked with physiotherapy is the way certain stretches and movements help to optimise flexibility and movement, by boosting your cardiovascular function and improving both your strength and coordination.
Repeated stretches and movements help to create muscle memory, and train certain muscles and joints to be able to move in certain ways. Physiotherapy is very much a process and is not an overnight fix for any underlying or surface-level issues – however, the enhanced movement that patients get from even the early sessions of their treatment plan helps to facilitate everyday activities.
3. It helps to prevent future injury
Finally, physiotherapy helps to reduce pain and aid faster recovery, while also strengthening the body to prevent future pain and injury.
By strengthening the muscles, joints, and soft tissue, as well as vital organs and the lungs, patients who partake in physiotherapy sessions become stronger and more resilient – able to avoid further injury through enhanced mobility.
All of this culminates in physiotherapy being viewed as a holistic approach to treatment, which reduces a patient’s dependency on medicine. The diverse array of exercises and stretches which are available and which form the foundation of a successful physio treatment plan make it an ideal option for patients of all ages – with your local physio team able to talk you through the details, costs, and other considerations.
