Physiotherapy is a set or series of movements or exercises designed to improve the mobility in a joint or muscle, and also to regain strength. Physiotherapy is often prescribed following an accident or injury, or after a serious illness.
If we are to answer the question of how long does it take physiotherapy to work, we have to consider a number of factors:
- How bad the injury is : The time it will take physiotherapy to start showing effects depends on the nature of the injury and where the injury is located. For example, if a bone is broken, the bone has to first heal and only then can we start with the physiotherapy. In this case, the time taken for the treatment to work can only be calculated from the time the treatment starts, that is, once the basic healing of the injury is completed. In the case of any other type of injury, the time will be different.
Injury to soft tissues, that is, the tissues that provide supporting and connecting functions, usually take anything between six and eight weeks to heal, so the physiotherapy treatment will be for at least that much time, and sometimes a little longer in specific cases. It takes two to four weeks for muscles to heal, four to six weeks for tendons to heal. It takes longer, ten to twelve weeks for ligaments and cartilage to heal. Once the basic healing is done, physiotherapy helps restore the strength and range of motion in the affected areas.
2. The disposition of the individual patient : Two people with similar injuries can respond to the physiotherapy sessions differently. The general health of the patient will play a role. Any underlying disease or health condition will also affect the effectiveness of the physiotherapy treatment or exercises.
- Commitment to the physiotherapy treatment: The speed of effectiveness of the treatment or recovery of the patient will depend to a large extent on his or her attitude towards the physiotherapy treatment. I know this from personal experience. I underwent physiotherapy sessions for about six months following hospitalisation for a head injury sustained in a road accident.
The sessions can be really painful. I was bedridden for about a month. I had to do the physiotherapy in order to be able to walk, and gain strength in my muscles. The exercises would be very painful, often bringing me to tears. But I was very young then and I wanted to get well soon so I persisted. I remember my physiotherapist telling my parents that a lot of patients do not do the exercises due to the pain.
The commitment of the physiotherapist also plays a part in the time taken for the physiotherapy to work. A good professional physiotherapist will give the treatment his full commitment. - Facilities at the physiotherapy clinic : Another factor that may play a part in the length of time it will take for physiotherapy treatment to give quick results is the physiotherapy clinic, or rather the equipment or facilities available there. A well equipped clinic should facilitate better and more focussed exercises relative to the targeted area that should enable quicker recovery.
Whether the patient requires physiotherapy following recovery from an injury and if they do, how long it will last and when the objectives of the physiotherapy have been completely met will be decided by the doctor or physiotherapist. The doctor or physiotherapist will be confident once the patient is confident in performing the actions to a satisfactory range and without pain.
Things a patient can generally practice to speed up the results in addition to following the physiotherapist’s advice:
1. Staying active – Keeping ourselves active and exercising regularly will help to make the muscles strong and promote healing.
2. Diet and nutrition – It is important to eat a nutritious and balanced diet so as to facilitate the healing process. Doctors often prescribe calcium supplements or vitamin supplements to assist with the recovery.
3. Maintaining good posture – It is important to maintain a good posture in all your activities. We can often see people in offices or markets slouching while standing or walking or leaning on a wall while standing. Good posture is very important to assist the effectiveness of physiotherapy.
4. Warm and cold compresses – Often, pains and swellings will reduce by application of hot or cold compresses. The patient can discuss with the physiotherapist as to what will be appropriate and suitable.
5. Trying not to aggravate the condition – The patient should discuss with the physiotherapist on actions or movements that they should avoid to prevent their condition or injury from getting worse.
Following the above general guidelines will assist in the physiotherapy to work sooner.
Conclusion
Recovery from an injury is a complex process and depends on a number of factors, some of which might be beyond our control. Physiotherapy is a treatment that can drastically speed up time taken for healing and recovery. Physiotherapy is often necessary to help the patient learn (or re-learn) the correct movement of the body parts after an injury or surgery, and also helps in regaining strength in the body.
The time it takes for the physiotherapy to work depends on the type and location of injury and how bad it is, level of patient involvement, and the patient’s rate of healing. There are a few good practices like staying active, eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a good posture, applying warm and cold compresses and care to avoid actions that make the injury worse that will go a long way in speeding up the process of recovery.
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