Hidden Benefits of Physiotherapy You Must Know
Overview
Physical therapy has gained massive popularity over the past few decades. This is mostly due to the amazing health benefits it offers to patients; it is the only branch of medicine that can restore the function of an organ after it was lost.
For instance, if a patient has a stroke, the neurologist will act as fast as he/she can to treat the condition before the damage is done. However, once the damage is sustained, and the patient loses one or more of his/her functions, the neurologist is not able to do anything! In fact, no one could help this patient except for physiotherapists.
In this article, we will briefly discuss some hidden benefits of physiotherapy that may surprise you.
Hidden benefits of physiotherapy
Better sleep
Regular practice of physiotherapy exercises may help balance hormonal levels and reduce stress, which eventually leads to improved sleep quality and duration.
Sleep disorders (e.g. hypersomnia, insomnia) are related to a variety of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease).
Improved digestion
Researchers found that the lack of movement and bad posture are important risk factors for improper digestion and gastrointestinal symptoms.
By manipulating the body’s joints and muscles, physiotherapy is able to stimulate the internal organs to improve digestion and ease up symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Better lung function
One of the cornerstones of physiotherapy is practicing the right breathing techniques to increase oxygen delivery to different organs, as well as expand the pulmonary volume.
In fact, patients who experience diseases that alter the normal movement of the lungs, such as pneumothorax, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, are candidates to receive physiotherapy to restore their previous lung functionality.
May prevent the need for surgery
“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”
A saying we often hear from our grandmothers that emphasizes the importance of prevention.
While some diseases may require surgical therapy, it should be left as a last resort after trying other treatment options, such as physical therapy. For instance, patients with chronic back pain may be eligible to receive surgical therapy to treat their symptoms; however, and before jumping to this radical solution that could carry several health risks and complications, patients should try a thorough physiotherapy plan, which may be all they need to definitively cure their symptoms.
Great for women’s health
Women have special bodies that come with special problems! The hormonal fluctuation during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and postmenopausal period could be the origin of many diseases, such as osteoporosis, urinary incontinence, and sleep disturbances.
Physiotherapy is a fantastic tool to help with these conditions and meet the special needs of women’s bodies.
Conclusion
The physiotherapy field is expanding to cover more patients over the past few years. Nowadays, it is no longer exclusive for patients who underwent physical injuries and organic trauma.
Aside from being used as a post-injury therapy, Physiotherapy could also be used in the context of preventive medicine.
If you have ever tried physiotherapy before, feel free to share your story in the comment section below. We would be thrilled to read about your experience!