What exactly is physiotherapy?

Getting to grips with pain and when the body lets us down is sometimes no easy task. Seeking advice from trusted friends and family is usually our first port of call and if this fails we seek more professional advice from our GP or other Health professionals.

Physiotherapy is one of those health professionals that people can turn to. Dividing the term “physiotherapy” into its two components  we get, “physio” or “physical” and “therapy” or “treatment”. In essence physical treatment. Physiotherapy therefore can generally be seen as the physical side of medicine. That is the application of physical modalities (treatments) in order to alleviate, manage or prevent disease and illness. This physical form of therapy can be enough on its own to treat ill health or in most cases combines with other forms of treatments such as drug therapy to help people.

In Ireland however physiotherapy is currently not a protected title. This is soon to change however with the current government posed to launch CORU, an independent multi-profession health regulator.  This Body will protect the public by  promoting high standards of professional conduct and competence through statutory registration of which physiotherapists will be a part of.

Chartered physiotherapy versus non-chartered physiotherapy

Chartered physiotherapy versus non-chartered physiotherapy can also be a confusing matter among the public. Chartered physiotherapy indicates that the therapist has completed an honors degree programme in a recognised university and has completed the majority of this programme in a hospital setting. This status also implies that the physiotherapist has a whole person or global healthcare approach. This approach can be very important in diagnosing where pain is coming from as it takes into account all the body systems such as the muscles, joints, nerves and bones to name a few.

“Providing the stepping stones to better health”

 Chartered physiotherapist Kevin Conneely MISCP of HealthStep Physiotherapy Mullingar

Providing Relief from Neck and Shoulder pain; Sports Injuries; Foot Pain and Planter Fasciitis; Repetitive Strain Injuries; Knee pain and stiffness

Available at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call us today on (087) 4626093 for more information or to make an appointment