A Physiotherapist for Ankle Injuries

Runners would always feel various painful sensations such as ankle injuries, and it is the job of a physiotherapist Singapore to restore a runner’s pair of ankles to shape. Blame it on muscle stress or incorrect running positions, but at the end of the day, it is imperative that runners and athletes alike have a physiotherapist on call to rehabilitate whatever joints or muscle groups become painful during the execution of their respective sport. When one reports of ankle injuries, a physiotherapist can do any of the following:

1. Recommend hot or cold compress. As a home remedy, the use of hot or cold compresses is a staple for ankle injuries or any muscle injuries. This application helps reduce and eliminate swelling so as not to complicate further the difficulty in walking.

2. Recommend proprioception exercises with cautious pain management. These kinds of exercises are meant to bring back the muscle’s balance and movement. For ankle injuries, isometric strength exercises are also usually recommended by physiotherapists for strength restoration of the affected muscle group. Of course, these forms of restorative exercises are done in moderation so as not to shock the recuperating muscles. These exercises are best done and facilitated by a licensed physiotherapist so as not to cause further harm.

3. Recommend continuous exercises at home. The physiotherapist’s role is not only contained in the 4 walls of the clinic; the role is also extended when the patient has to go home and continue rehabilitation and recovery at home. It is expected that physiotherapists will provide the necessary literature in order for the patient to be knowledgeable and continue exercises as he or she goes on into the succeeding weeks of the recovery period.
The role of a physiotherapist will only be significant if the patient sees upon himself or herself to continue recovery even without the physiotherapist in sight.

Recovery for ankle injuries may take time as the body’s natural capacity to heal is different from one person to another. Restoring ankle range, muscle power and maintaining and improving balance is important in order for a runner or an athlete to be back in shape. With a physiotherapist as part of the rehabilitative plan, one should not be so worried about muscle recovery and improvements in no time.

Physiotherapist Singapore: Roles and Capacities

When the term ‘physiotherapist Singapore’ is uttered, one can immediately associate exercise. That is very true. In fact, the roles of a physiotherapist is to administer several forms of therapeutic exercise that are all targeted in the healing, improvement and recovery of a specific body part that is of concern. Today, a lot of people have complaints or reasons why they cannot fulfill their daily tasks the way that they have been performing it. As we grow older, the higher is the possibility of feeling muscle pains and joint pains. Even athletes who are physically healthy and active can also experience these episodes of muscle and joint pains. No one is totally exempt from these sensations, and it is the role of a physiotherapist to assist us and help us address these body complaints of ours in the most proactive way possible.

Basically, aside from assigning exercises to the term physiotherapist, we are also likely to associate the terms therapy to the profession. That said, when we speak of the roles and capacities of a physiotherapist, we are talking about the different kinds of manual therapy that they employ in order for us to achieve and feel a sense of alleviation and freedom from the pain that has been bothering us. Manual therapy would normally include 3 things. First would be massage. We all know that massages relax us. When massage is applied on a painful body part, it relaxes the muscles involved. Aside from relaxing the muscles, the circulation is also improved, which leads to the ease of pain in the soft tissues. Of course, these massages are applied using different levels of force.

If the patient feels like the pain that he or she is feeling is so pronounced at the moment, the physiotherapist will administer gentle massages first before escalating it into deeper and more effective massage sessions. Aside from massages, manual therapy also includes mobilization. Especially for athletes who recently had ankle injuries or shin injuries, mobilization will help them restore their ankles and shin’s function back to normal. Mobilization includes the twisting, pushing and pulling of muscles. Of course, these actions are calculated by the physiotherapist to avoid stressing the recovering muscles that are of concern. Aside from loosening up the tight soft tissues, mobilization brings back function and flexibility of the muscles. Lastly, the third component of manual therapy is manipulation. In manipulation, the physiotherapist employs forceful, aggressive and rapid movements of the body part or muscle group that is being restored to its normal function. Manipulation comprises the many aspects of advanced manual therapy, and manipulation is only recommended for patients who suffer from dislocated bones and joints. Of course, the order of manipulation is communicated first with the patient in order to set the expectations in terms of pain threshold.

Of course, the roles and capacities of a physiotherapist do not end on manual therapy alone. It involves giving the patient enough literature about the pain that he or she feels. It also involves explaining the different home exercises that the patient can do on his or her own so that therapy is not simply limited within the 4 walls of the physio Singapore’s clinic.

Different Techniques a Physiotherapist Implements

A physiotherapist Singapore may be the only person you need whenever you encounter momentary body pains. The hard part about being human is the individual’s ignorance and passivity towards health care. When one complains of a backache, one would simply just drink pain relievers to alleviate the pain not knowing that the back pain one experiences cannot be cured entirely through oral medications. More often than not, when one complains of back pains, it can either be a mild or serious case of scoliosis. A physiotherapist may suggest weeks of physical therapy before considering more progressive and serious ways such as back surgery.

For back pains, a physiotherapist may require the patient 2 kinds of physical therapy: active and passive physical therapy. Active physical therapy may include prescribed exercises such as flexing and stretching of the back. Of course, a physiotherapist assists the patient in this kind of exercise before allowing the patient to do this on his or her own at home. Physiotherapists know the right angle of stretch in order for the back to flex. Depending on the patient’s presentation, the strength, concentration and duration of the exercise vary. Aside from active physical therapy, physiotherapists also employ passive therapy, which basically includes the prescription of ice packs and warm compresses in order to alleviate the pain from time to time.

For patients that present frozen shoulders, the same active and passive therapies for back pain also applies. The use of warm compress and ice packs are also helpful to release pain. The shoulders get the most stress whenever one does a certain job, and it is the responsibility of the patient to apply either a warm or cold compress on the shoulder to soothe the pain. Active physical therapies include the stretching of the shoulder joint capsule. This is done so by doing several shoulder movements at various range levels. An increased and pain-free shoulder range is what a physiotherapist aims for, and the attainment of this should not be limited during clinical visits but patients should also do several shoulder stretching exercises even at home. A physiotherapist’s role in recovery will be rendered useless if there is no continuity of the exercises outside the clinic.

For ankle sprain, which is a common condition among athletes, a physiotherapist normally assigns a grade for the level of ankle sprain at present. The grade level of the ankle injury is the physiotherapist’s indicator of the level of rehabilitation and therapy to implement. Though most ankle sprains are classified by the presentation of swelling and stiffness, ankle sprains are differentiated according to the severity of the ligaments’ torsion. Aside from prescribing ice compression and elevation, a physiotherapist will most likely prescribe several soft tissue massages and balance and flexibility exercises so that the ankle will be functional and useful for walking in no time. These massages and exercises are normally done inside clinics, and the duration and frequency, again, depends on the grade level of the ankle injury. With a physio Singapore to address the body and muscular ailments, recovery and mobility is literally just an arm’s length away.