Physiotherapy (Physical Therapy) is a branch of medical science that mainly deals with the prevention and curing of physical dysfunctions in patients.
Physiotherapy is defined as the system of medicine that includes examination, diagnosis, treatment, and advice.
A physiotherapist deals with
- Movement dysfunction
- Bodily Malfunction
- Physical Disorder
- Disability
- Healing
- Pain from trauma & disease
- Physical & mental conditions
using physical agents including exercise, mobilization, manipulation, mechanical and electrotherapy devices.”
The responsibility of a physiotherapist is to rehabilitate patients back to normal without medicines with the help of exercise, manual therapy, rehabilitation techniques and physical therapy.
PHYSIOTHERAPY COMPRISES OF UG (BPT) AND PG (MPT) COURSES
Bachelor Of Physiotherapy (B.P.T)
1)The course duration of BPT- 4.5 years (including a 6-months compulsory internship)
2)Eligibility – 10+2 with 50% or more marks with physics, chemistry and biology as a compulsory subject.
The entrance exam for BPT- CET (common entrance exam)
3) Course fees – INR 1 lakh to INR 5 lakh
Master Of Physiotherapy (M.P.T)
1)The course duration of MPT – 2 years
2) MPT course fees – INR 35000 to INR 50,000
3)Admission Process- Merit-Based/ Entrance Based
4) Average Salary offered – 3.6 lakhs per annum
Specialization
- Geriatrics Physiotherapy
- Orthopaedic Physiotherapy
- Sports Physiotherapy
- Obstetrics Physiotherapy
- Paediatrics Physiotherapy
- Cardiovascular Physiotherapy
- Post-Operative Physiotherapy
- Neurology Physiotherapy
Role of Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a very rewarding and satisfactory profession after paramedical science who had to deal with larger roles & responsibilities in a hospital scenario.
Opportunities for the physiotherapists in the health industry: –
- Prescribing remedial exercises
- Prescribing certain medicines to the patients
- Muscle strength evaluation & quantification
- Physical treatment is given with the help of electrotherapy modalities like diathermy, ultrasonic therapy, contrast bath, cryotherapy etc.
- Monitoring balance in neurologically affected patients along with evaluation.
- Appling of manual therapy, mobilization, manipulation of soft tissue techniques etc.
- Wheelchair and gait training with or without ambulatory aids.
- Dealing with the status of patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
Role of physiotherapist after surgery
Post-surgery physical therapy plays a crucial role in post-operative rehabilitation, as it ensures faster recovery.
Some of the other benefits of physiotherapy after surgery are as follows;
- Helps in the proper circulation of blood after surgery, thus preventing DVT.
- Helps in improving the ROM, muscle strength, posture and balance of the body.
- Physiotherapy also proves beneficial in helping a person get back on their feet.
- It also provides effective daily activity training to the patient like safely getting out of bed, bathing, climbing stairs, etc.
- It reduces pain and equips you with pain control and manual therapy techniques.
- Finally, physiotherapy reduces the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications as well as circulatory complications.
Career options in physiotherapy
- Countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and parts of western Europe provide the best opportunities for physiotherapy. And the highest paying country is Australia.
- In the case of India, physiotherapists are be hired as Consultant Physiotherapist in Multi-speciality Hospitals, Health Care Centres, NGOs, Clinical Researcher, Lecturer
- Practitioners running Private Physiotherapy Practic in Special Schools for Physically Challenged Children
- Entrepreneurs in Rehabilitation Centres
- Corporate Physiotherapist in MNCs