Role of the Physiotherapist in a Multispecialty Hospital

A physiotherapist is the same as a physical therapist. The term "physiotherapist" is used in Great Britain to describe a professional who helps people maximize movements or improve the ability to use their limbs and move about after illness or injury. Physiotherapists work in various settings, including multispecialty hospitals.

Help Patients Recuperate after Major Surgery

• People who undergo major surgery often require physiotherapy to return to a normal level of functioning. Surgeries such as hip replacements and total knee replacements can affect mobility significantly if a patient doesn't get proper physiotherapy during recovery. Walking, standing, going up and down stairs and bending the limbs are some of the physiotherapy activities that help these patients regain full use of limbs.

Assist Athletes with Sports-Related Injuries

• Athletes injured while playing sports often require extensive surgery or treatments to repair torn ligaments, broken bones and other sports-related injuries. Getting an athlete back in shape to return to sports requires a professional who has knowledge of skeletal and muscle groups, and how to manipulate them to facilitate healing. Multispecialty hospitals usually have sports medicine departments that utilize physiotherapists in treating sports-related injuries.

Treat Elderly People

• Elderly people often require the help of physiotherapists to maintain a minimal level of physical functioning that allows them to take care of their daily needs. For example, a physiotherapist may help an older adult with exercises to strengthen the upper body. This could provide muscle function and the ability to perform tasks such as self-propelling a wheelchair.

Assist People with Rehabilitation

• In a multispecialty hospital such as a setting where veterans are treated for war-related injuries, a physiotherapist plays an important role in rehabilitation. People with lost limbs must learn to function without them and are often fitted for prosthetic devices. For the devices to function properly, a user must have physical strength and healthy muscle tissue. This helps reduce pain associated with wearing a prosthesis. A physiotherapist can help a person in this situation build muscles and strength, and help them become accustomed to wearing a prosthetic device.