WCPT-AWP & IAP International

WCPT-AWP & IAP International Physical Therapy Congress

Archive for January, 2011

Physiotherapy Training: An Overview of the Making of a Physiotherapist

January 30th, 2011 |

Author: gfmstudio

Article by Cris Pritchett

Physiotherapy training has become a popular choice for many young people today. Application of treatment procedures and principles is an important part in a physiotherapy program as well as the study of the theories behind these practices. Physiotherapists are also known as “movement” experts because of their training and education.

A Physical Therapist’s Education: Knowledge and Practice

With a solid background in science and firm hands-on training, physical therapy or physiotherapy is one of today’s most sought after career. A physiotherapist’s work is very diverse. It usually involves working with individuals who are affected by illness, injury or developmental disability as well as those suffering from various pains and aches of the body.

Physiotherapy techniques and procedures involving the musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems are all taken up by students in a physiotherapy program. An entry-level PT education course combines not only theory and evidence, but also hands-on physiotherapy training.

The Work of a Physiotherapist: Your First Visit

PT professionals are found working on an extensive array of medical settings – from cardiac rehabilitation to manual therapy to pregnancy pain program to acupuncture to orthotics.

However, first off, your session with a physiotherapist starts with the assessment of your health condition. This assessment then entails reviewing the patient’s medical history, after which a physical examination follows. The evaluation of the patient’s medical history is generally a subjective exam, while the physical examination takes on a more objective approach to the condition.

Duration of Physiotherapy Training: Not A Minute Wasted

To become a physiotherapist, there is a pre-requisite before you can enlist in an accredited physiotherapy program in most universities. A Grade Point Average or GPA of 3.0 is a must, especially in subjects such as chemistry, biology, statistics, and physics. There are also PT programs which oblige students to get at least one psychology or anatomy course before they get accepted into the course.

It takes about six years of education and training to complete a physiotherapy program. This includes three years of general medical course, and another three years of applied work.

Specialty Areas of Physiotherapy: The Calling

Physiotherapy being a diverse health field, several of its practitioners chooses to specialize in one of its many branches, each having its own specialized physiotherapy training. According to the American Board of Physical Therapy, there are seven major global specifications – Geriatric, Neurological, Cardiopulmonary, Neurological, Orthopedic, Pediatric and Integumentary.

Two of the main goals of cardiopulmonary physiotherapy are helping patients regain functional independence as well as improve their endurance. One physiotherapy program used to assist in clearing out lung secretions, as in those common in cystic fibrosis cases, is manual therapy. Meanwhile, neurological physiotherapy has more focus on individuals who have neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease and among others.

Orthopedic physiotherapists undergo specific physiotherapy training that makes them experts in managing orthopedic fractures, acute sports injuries, arthritis, sprains, spinal injuries and amputations. Geriatric PT, on the other hand, entails caring for the many conditions that affect the elderly, such as balance disorders, incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s.

In pediatric physiotherapy, the child’s problem is first evaluated, and then the therapist comes up with a customized physiotherapy program to suit the child’s specific needs.

Physiotherapy in Canada: The Regulating Body

In many, if not most, provinces in Canada, licensing and registration for physiotherapists is a multi-level process. A process which usually involves the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators and the province’s College of physiotherapists. The Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators grants its ruling and evaluates the student’s educational equivalencies, after which the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) is then handed out. Meanwhile, the responsibility for making the decision on the competency of the local student, or immigrant applicant, lies in the province’s College of Physiotherapy.

The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) is the country’s main voluntary professional physiotherapy organization. The main office is in Toronto but it has branches in 10 Canadian provinces and territories. Membership is around 9,000 practicing physiotherapist from all over the country. The organization’s main objective is to give leadership and direction to the physiotherapy profession as well as to further enhance excellence in physiotherapy training, research and practice.

About the Author

We have some of the best health practitioners at PT Health who aim to provide you with top notch therapy options and services. Strict physiotherapy training is part of their education and background. We can help you achieve physical independence from pain and discomfort. Contact us at http://www.pthealth.ca

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Benefits Of Improving The Physiotherapy Situation In Nepal

January 27th, 2011 |

Author: gfmstudio

In Nepal, physiotherapy is a relatively new profession compared to more developed countries. Physiotherapy training did not exist before 1980′s (World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) file). Because of the rising number of children with disabilities, few international nongovernmental organisations investigated the needs for services for people with disabilities. As a result, it was decided that Nepal needed rehabilitation centres to help people with disabilities and training for local people to become physiotherapists. However, the programs were at certificate or diploma level. The curriculum was based on the western physiotherapy curriculum and taught in English by western physiotherapy as there were no local physiotherapists available at that time to contribute their insights. Recently, teaching was taken over by local physiotherapists with a support of expatiates from various countries. In 2009 another significant change occurred in physiotherapy education in Nepal. Kathmandu University with help of ASPN and Dhulikhel Hospital established four-year degree courses in physiotherapy. In addition, to increase the number of local teachers, KU sent Nepalese’s physiotherapists abroad to gain higher degrees in physiotherapy. However, the curriculum in university schools of physiotherapy was based on a curriculum designed in developed countries where the needs of patients and their cultural backgrounds might be different from those of Nepalese patients and local teachers working currently on the curriculum to design it to fit into Nepalese culture and patients’ needs.

The Nepali Physiotherapy Society was established and with other Nepali physiotherapy organisation they are the professional body for physiotherapists in Nepal. Their aim to support their members and help them to provide reasonable standards of patient care. In 2004 NEPTA became a member of the World Confederation of Physical Therapy. This membership of international organisations may change the attitude of the Nepalese public and may influence the government’s attitude towards physiotherapy professions. Nepalese therapists work in governmental and non-governmental health settings, mainly in general hospitals, rehabilitation centres, out-patient clinics and home. In some clinical settings in Nepal, physiotherapists may not involved in assessment and evaluation of patients and were not expected to do much more than apply some form of heat, massage or electrical stimulation on the prescription of a physician. As yet, there is no specialisation within physiotherapy, with most physiotherapists treating a range of conditions from with back problem to stroke patients. This is may be because there are limited continuing professional development programmes, although a few physiotherapists have had the opportunity to travel abroad to attend special courses and training. Accordingly, there is urgent need to change the situation of physiotherapy in Nepal in order to provide high quality services for Nepalese people who use our physiotherapy services, this also may help to change public and government attitudes toward the profession, consequently increasing the autonomy of physiotherapists.

There should be continual development to improve the services, in this brief paper I am presenting the benefit of improving the physiotherapy situation and education in Nepal:

Community benefits:

Nepal becomes more consistent with world in rehabilitation (globalisation).
Nepalese’s medical doctors can concentrate on their job and not interfering with physiotherapy business.
Nepalese’s people will work longer, happier and increasing economic growth for Nepal.
Medical costs decline by decreasing injuries, surgeries, medication use, imaging needs etc.

Patients’ benefits:

Improve patients quality of life
Provides better care for patients
Prevention of injuries or permanent disablement
Slower deterioration of chronic problems
Patient gets fair treatment to a higher standard

Physiotherapy profession benefits:

Improve the economic situations of physiotherapists and their families.
Allows access to international assistance and recognition by international professional bodies.
Allows development of high degree in physiotherapy in Nepal(Masters, Doctorate degrees)
Will allow for an advisory role in education and regulation of physiotherapy
Organizing conferences/events for networking and knowledge exchange between therapists
Allows for better communication between physiotherapists, government and other organizations
Central contact for physiotherapists for information
Advocate for the profession of physiotherapy (patient information regarding services and diagnosis).
Improves the ability of the therapist to do their job properly
Expands the knowledge base of the physiotherapist
Improves the skills of the physiotherapist
Improves the attributes of the physiotherapist
Improve teamwork in the healthcare setting

Conclusions: In order to provide better quality services for people with disabilities and receivers of physiotherapy services in Nepal,there are urgent need to change the management, quantity and the quality of physiotherapy in Nepal. This will benefit the community, patients and physiotherapy professions.

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Beginning a Physiotherapy Career

January 24th, 2011 |

Author: gfmstudio

The physiotherapy career is a healthcare profession which deals with movement disorders of the body arising from certain conditions or illnesses. Treatment through physiotherapy can also be more efficient and cheap than other traditional medication or therapy.

Usually, the person who performs physiotherapy is called a physical therapist. However, there are also other professionals who perform some physiotherapy practices, like chiropractors or caregivers. The physiotherapy career is very broad and has various classifications. Examples of these classifications are psychological sickness, physical rehabilitation, occupational health, and care for the aging.

Individuals in the physiotherapy career study their patient’s history and physical condition in dealing with the movement disorders. The physiotherapy career combines understanding, expertise and methodology to handle certain physical problems of the patient. Physiotherapists trace the roots of these physical problems to certain conditions of particular parts of the human body such as the brain, nervous system, soft tissues, joints, bones, heart or lungs. People in the physiotherapy career are usually associated with other health care professionals. When patients have movement disorders, they are usually advised by their physicians to consult a physiotherapist. Today, the growth of the physiotherapy career can be seen by the increasing number of people who proceeds directly to a physiotherapist without being advised first by their doctors. The physiotherapy career is likewise associated with the social care industry.

The physiotherapy career has many opportunities. Those in the physiotherapy career can practice in different places. They can practice their profession in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools, offices, factories, fitness centers, sports facilities and even the homes of patients. They can be employed by healthcare companies and they can likewise be self-employed professionals.

To begin a physiotherapy career, one must first obtain a degree from an accredited physiotherapy program in their country. The courses taken can include certain sciences such as anatomy, biology, neurology, physiology, pathology, psychology and biomechanics. Physiotherapy education is given through classroom lectures, hands-on learning, practical exercises, are laboratory work. Usually, students are also given a minimum requirement of clinical hours for the program. The requirements for studying physiotherapy will depend on the legal requirements for practicing physiotherapy in every country. There are some countries which require a bachelor’s degree before getting into a physiotherapy program. In some countries, it is also required that they pass a national licensing examination before practicing physiotherapy. The physiotherapy career is devoted to lifetime education. Physiotherapists must continue to improve and hone their skills through mandatory continuous learning through education and work experience.

Without a doubt, physiotherapy requires hard work and perseverance. It is a profession concerned with the health and well-being of patients. Being an occupation dealing with healthcare, the profession itself is associated with the public interest. It is highly ideal that physiotherapy continues to grow and evolve. This can be done through intensive research and of course, through continuous promotion of the physiotherapy career. This type of service is full of opportunities and the benefits can be very rewarding. People interested will find that a physiotherapy career can be rich with knowledge and application.

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