Physiotherapy

How Does It Work?

The aim of physiotherapy is to restore proper functioning to the body. As well as treating a specific injury or illness, the physiotherapist will also consider ways to improve your general well-being and quality of life. In this way, it is similar to some complementary therapies, and is often used alongside other therapies such as acupuncture or chiropractic.

Patient education is an important part of physiotherapy. As well as aiming to improve your strength and mobility, physiotherapy also teaches you how to manage your condition more effectively, such as improving your lifestyle by eating more healthily and exercising regularly.

Exercise and movement

Physiotherapy often includes lots of different types of exercises to help with particular problems. This may include general, gentle exercise, such as walking, or swimming, or specific exercises to target certain areas of the body. Exercises are designed to strengthen your body and improve your range of movement, and they normally need to be repeated daily for a number of weeks. Your physiotherapist will advise you about which exercises to do for your particular condition and will also show you how to do them safely.