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Physiotherapy in Dorset

Physiotherapy is a health care profession which provides services to individuals in order to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life. Physiotherapy includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease or environmental factors.

Physiotherapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation. Physiotherapy involves the interaction between physiotherapist, patients/clients, other health professionals, families, care givers, and communities in a process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon, using knowledge and skills unique to physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy utilizes an individual's history and physical examination to arrive at a diagnosis and establish a management plan, and when necessary, incorporate the results of laboratory and imaging studies. Electrodiagnostic testing (e.g. electromyograms and nerve conduction velocity testing) may also be of assistance

Physiotherapy has many specialties including cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurologic, orthopaedic and pediatrics to name some of the more common areas. Physiotherapists practice Physiotherapy in many settings, such as outpatient clinics or offices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, extended care facilities, private homes, education and research centers, schools, hospices, industrial workplaces or other occupational environments, fitness centers and sports training facilities.

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Physiotherapy Links

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Wikipedia Physiotherapy Article

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Physiotherapy Documents

Physiotherapy Article

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Physiotherapy in Dorset

Link to Dorset Physiotherapy Directory to assist in finding a Dorset Physiotherapist.

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Advice to patients wishing to try Physiotherapy or any Complementary Therapies
· Always start with your GP - regardless of which therapy you wish to practice always inform your GP. This will ensure that your total health needs are considered. Your GP will be agood source of information about the therapy.

· Know the dangers of each Therapy - a number of therapies have potential problems and you should be informed of these by your therapist.

· Seek evidence based assessments of each therapy - look for research which scientifically evaluates thru clinical trials the acuracy of any claims about cure success rates.

· Limit your treatment - make sure that you do not become a victim of therapists who try to extend treatment beyond that which is adding real benefit

· Look for a patients charter if there is one - some surgry / clinics publish a patients charter which explains your rights and sets your expectations.

· Check the clinics and therapists qualifications - this should be readily available. Some associations provide a tool on their websites to let you check that the therapist is actually qualified.

· Avoid therapies or clinics that purport to be a panacea, a cure all - clinics that offer a range of herapies are more likley to have accepted that one therapy alone will not cure all ills.

· Therapy associations - know what to expect from them

· Ensure your therapist conforms to the NICE guidelines: http://www.nice.org.uk/