Whether you have a condition like arthritis, you're suffering from a pain syndrome or you lead a particularly active life, you may have been told by your doctor that you need to visit a physiotherapist on a regular basis—but do you know why? Many patients write off the importance of keeping up with regular physiotherapy visits, but they're actually an essential part of keeping your body healthy. Here are just four of the biggest reasons why it's important to see your physiotherapist often.
1. It could reduce your medication dependence
If you're already taking pain medication to deal with your joint and muscle difficulties, you may think physiotherapy on top of this unnecessary. However, one of the best parts about physiotherapy is that it can actually reduce your dependence on medication. While medication can be a big help in the short term, some of its worst risks include addiction, tolerance and dependency; many pain medications are also associated with uncomfortable side effects like dizziness, nausea and drowsiness. Physiotherapy, on the other hand, is a natural treatment that doesn't come with any of the side effects of pharmaceuticals. When you attend physiotherapy appointments regularly, you should see your need for pills reduce.
2. It prevents injuries
Alongside helping to alleviate the pain and discomfort you have now, regular physiotherapy can prevent you from suffering injuries in the future. For one, physiotherapy helps strengthen your joints and muscles over time so that they're more resistant to both daily wear and tear and high impacts. On top of this, physiotherapy can improve your range of motion. When you're more agile and mobile, your limbs are less likely to give out on you when you least expect it. Of course, to achieve these effects, you'll need to carry on seeing your physiotherapist regularly after an extended period of time.
3. You'll see additional benefits over time
Even if you've only been prescribed physiotherapy visits to manage pain and discomfort, that doesn't mean that's all you'll get out of them. If you keep up with your appointments, over time, you'll see an even greater range of benefits. For example, physiotherapy can be a big help with mental wellbeing. With the increased endurance and stamina that comes with regular physiotherapy sessions, you'll find yourself feeling happier and more energised. On top of this, the exercises included in physiotherapy can help control blood pressure, reducing your risk of heart problems in the future.
Hello! My name is Bobby and I am a 66-year-old man who lives alone in Melbourne Australia. I am in pretty good health at the moment but over the last couple of years, I have had several medical conditions which needed professional attention. I am not a big fan of going to the doctors, but this time I got lucky and was assigned to a really friendly nurse who explained exactly what was going on during the diagnosing and treatment of my health problems. I learnt lots of useful things so I decided to ask my grandson to help me start this blog so I could share my knowledge with other people.