September 8 – World Physical Therapy Day
Why is physiotherapy (or kinesiotheraphy) interesting for students choosing this area of study? How have the techniques used in physiotherapy changed over the years and what innovations have been introduced? Finally, what is special about the Physical Therapy Day celebrated on September 8 this year? Dr Ieva Eglė Jamontaitė, Assistant Professor at the Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine at the Institute of Health Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University (VU MF), agreed to answer these and other questions.
280 students study physiotherapy at VU MF
A total of 280 students study physiotherapy at VU MF, 64 of them started their studies this September. When asked what makes young people choose to study this specialism, Jamontaitė says that some students have been inspired by a meeting with a practitioner in this field: “Some students say they have had an injury in the past and as a result needed to consult a physiotherapist. In the course of treatment, they realised how vulnerable people are to injury and decided to pursue a career in this field.”
Jamontaitė maintains that other students are inspired by the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. “Patients often say they knew nothing about rehabilitation or physiotherapy. Once they experience physiotherapy, they are pleased with the results, particularly since treatment using movement is very natural, and easy to execute as long as you perform the movements correctly,” Jamontaitė said.
She added that she is pleased with the rapid changes taking place in the field of physiotherapy. Where previously, mostly a variety of passive techniques (such as massages) were applied, today, the focus is on a full examination of the patient and the analysis of their health problems. “First, we examine and analyse why something happened to the patient, why there is pain or other developments. Then, we look for solutions. It’s worth noting that many targeted methodologies have evolved, which allow us to achieve the desired result faster. Finally, we live in the age of technology where various robotic, motion-facilitating devices are now integrated,” Jamontaitė noted.
September 8 – World Physical Therapy Day
This year, World Physical Therapy Day will be dedicated to the problem of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most widely spread disease of the joints caused by the ageing process, carrying excess body weight and frequent joint overload. This causes pain, which restricts the patient’s movements. To an extent, the patient is caught in a vicious circle – because of the pain, the patient moves less, and the reduced movement becomes the main cause of pain.
In healthcare, according to Jamontaitė, the most common health conditions and problems that affect large groups of the population take the focus, leaving other diseases and pathologies in the shadows. The fact that this year’s World Physical Therapy Day is dedicated to the problem of osteoarthritis will prevent these diseases from falling into oblivion.
“Prevention, through using controlled and correct movement are very important. It is important to get up from your chair at least every hour, to stretch, perform some exercises or take a walk. Everyone is aware of the recommendations to take breaks, but as minutes or hours spent sitting at the computer screen pass by unnoticed, they forget. Still, taking care of yourself and your health responsibly seems to me to be very important for every one of us.
Based on my practical experience of dealing with patients, I can say that people know too little about the importance of movement. I think it’s important that a person develops their movement skills from childhood and understand that movement has great power,” Jamontaitė explained.
What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a science-based treatment using movement (kinesitherapy means – motion therapy and comes from the Greek words Kinesis – movement and therapeia – treatment). Movement, in various forms, is an essential element of health and well-being and depends on the integrated, coordinated function of the human body. Proper movement helps improve and maintain the functional condition of the bones and muscles, and our cardiovascular, respiratory and other systems.
Looking back at the past, the first written information about physical therapy was discovered in Hippocrates’ works and dates back to 460 BCE. He created the concept of treating pain manually and used water therapy, which is still used today. Since then, physiotherapy has progressed from a standard massage to specialised techniques and continues to progress rapidly in response to the spread of chronic diseases caused by today’s typically sedentary, stress-filled lifestyle.
The application of physiotherapy in medicine is very broad: from disease and injury prevention, and promoting education for a healthy lifestyle, to eliminating chronic health conditions and recovering maximum mobility after complex surgeries or injuries.
Following the diagnosis of a malfunction, a physiotherapist prepares a treatment plan aimed at restoring movement and reducing pain. It is very important for the patient to engage in the treatment process, and to proceed with the exercises and tasks recommended by the therapist. Only by continuing treatment systematically at home, can one hope to achieve the best results.
The rapid development of modern technologies opens up new possibilities for physiotherapists –from providing the patient with a rehabilitation process and motivating the patient, to evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment. Telerehabilitation, artificial intelligence, and Smart technology can provide consumers with valuable information about their health and movement habits. Specialised devices can even track and analyse specific movements around the clock, providing feedback to the patient, and a lot of valuable information for the physiotherapist.