You may think physiotherapy and physical therapy are exactly the same, but in fact, they are two different concepts from the same area. For example, the main difference between physical therapy and physiotherapy is their approach to the healing process. 

Physiotherapists use a manual, hands-on approach with soft tissue and fascial releases, stretches, and massages, while physical therapy uses hands-on therapy but adds an exercise-based approach. Both aim to recover patients; the difference is how they manage the injury, illness, or disability. At this point, physiotherapy vs physical therapy seem the same, so let’s take a deep look at each one:

Physiotherapy – a Customized Service for Your Wellbeing

Physiotherapy is a health profession dedicated to assisting people who are suffering from an accident, discomfort, or impairment in regaining their physical well-being. Physiotherapists can assess, diagnose, and treat problems and illnesses that affect people of all ages.

Physiotherapy comprehends a range of interventions, services, and advice to maintain, restore, and improve people’s function and movement and maximize the quality of their lives. A physiotherapist develops customized programs designed to restore functional ability, movement, and autonomy in a patient. These particular programs can be implemented on patients of all ages and will help them regain function where they previously lost it by the following factors:

• Diseases
• Health conditions
• Injuries
• Environmental factors
• Ageing
• Disorders 
• Weight issues

Physiotherapists examine patients from a general lifestyle and health perspective, aiming to allow them to be independent and active throughout their lives. A physiotherapist may work in public and private hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and fitness centers.

Physical Therapy – Exercises Focused on Your Yecovery

Physical therapy aims to ease pain and improve function for a better life, while physiotherapy treats disease, injury, and deformity using physical methods, including massage, joint manipulation, and other techniques other than medicine and surgery.

 At this point, both terms are practically the same. Both focus on movement and repair, taking in the whole person for well-being, but they take slightly different approaches. 

Physiotherapy has a slightly more hands-on approach, while physical therapy focuses on an exercise-based approach. 

When Do I Need The Assistance of a Physiotherapist?

Sometimes, when visiting a doctor referring a pain, they can recommend you to a physiotherapist to help you get back on track if you’ve ever had an illness or injury that limited your ability to do daily tasks. A physiotherapist will assist you in managing pain and mobility.  

You will also be referred to a physiotherapist if you need physical recovery after an accident, such as a car accident. The damage to the injuries may require a strict plan of exercises aimed at improving your mobility and returning to your life before the accident. 

Many medical facilities offer physiotherapy or physical therapy. Most insurance companies require a referral for physical therapy. Additionally, physiotherapists are available at rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and other locations.

Types of Physical Therapies You Might Find

Physical therapists offer a wide approach of treatments that will help you regain your autonomy back, such as:

Physical Exercise 

Physical therapists teach patients contraction and relaxation exercises to increase mobility. The goal is for the patient to return to pre-injury movement and motion. Depending on the level of the injury, these exercises can be done at home.

Ultrasound Treatment  

A Physical Therapist may use ultrasound to reduce inflammation. This treatment produces sound waves that cause vibration within the muscle, creating increased blood flow, oxygen, and chemicals that can heal damaged tissue.

Hot And Cold Therapies

Ice and cold treatment helps to reduce inflammation in the damaged area; these include Hot&Cold packs, cryogenics, or nitrogen to lessen chronic and acute conditions. Other treatments may include infrared heat to treat chronic conditions and joint pain.

Class IV Laser Therapy

Class IV laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate the body’s natural healing ability, improving circulation, increasing blood flow, decreasing inflammation, and encouraging the repair of cells in muscles, tendons, and joints.

Neuromuscular Reeducation 

This technique works to restore standard body movement patterns by working the muscles in cases of atrophy, injury, or pathology.

Neuromuscular re-education techniques help patients regain normal, controlled movement patterns. The nervous system controls most of our daily actions, so orthopedic physical therapy almost always includes neuromuscular re-education as a part of the overall recovery regimen.

Blood Flow Restriction Therapies

Some physical therapy clinics offer Blow-Flow Restriction Therapy (BFR), which allows patients limited by pain or inflammation to strengthen muscles under a smaller muscle load.

The goal of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy is to enable patients to make greater strength gains while lifting lighter loads, thereby reducing the overall stress placed on the limb. BFRT works by decreasing blood flow to working muscles, promoting hypertrophy and preventing muscle atrophy due to disuse.

All That You Need in One Place

Your primary care doctor should be able to provide you with some fantastic options for a physiotherapist. However, here at Injury Assistance Network, we can help you locate the best professionals for your recovery. If you are looking for sports physical therapy near me, you should get in contact with us and we will find a medical provider in your area.

We will find you a physiotherapist who specializes in your issue and guide you through your personal injury.