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.