Massage, Rehabilitation, physical therapy, Petrer

According to the Spanish Society of Physiotherapists, this discipline is: "the group of methods, actions and techniques, that by means of the application of physical means, it cure, prevent and adapt handicapped people or people affect by psychosomatic, somatic and organic dysfunctions, or people who desire to keep an appropiate level of health."

In conclusion, the function of the physical therapy is to prevent, treat and cure illnesses, and to help the person by the adaptation to his environment in case any after-effect or disability remains; as well, it helps healthy people to prevent illness by several ways.

Among the means of recovery it use, we can see:

Kinesitherapy: based on the movement of the body.

Thermotherapy: it uses the heat.

Cryotherapy: cold is a therapeutic element.

Electrotherapy: it uses the electricity as a means.

Phototherapy: it makes use of ultraviolet radiations.

Heliotherapy: the Sun's radiations are the treatment.

Hydrotherapy: water is applied externally.

Massotherapy: application of massages.

Physical Therapy is a health univeresity's career.

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PHYSICAL THERAPY'S FIELDS

Functional Rehabilitation: Top

As the own self-expression shows, it consist in "to recover the correct function". The physiotherapist will use the whole therapeutic arsenal that his(her) competitions allow him(her) to return the state of health before the problem that the patient endures nowadays. In the same way, if the patient suffers some disorder from the birth, the aim of the physical therapy will be to obtain the maximum possible functionality.

Paedriatics Rehabilitation: Top

It includes all those therapeutic strategies directed to obtain the major functional possible level in children with motor deficiencies included between the 0 and the 18 years-old. Among these strategies we find the Precocious Stimulation and Early Attention (in children from 0 to 6 years-old).

The aims in every case will depend on the clinical diagnosis of the patient and on his(her) individual characteristics, between other factors.

We speak here about affectations of the Nervous Central System (cerebral palsy, malformations of the neural duct, foetal suffering ...), about the Locomotor System (congenital malformations, deformities, myopaties ...), genetic Syndromes, etc.

Neurological Rehabilitation: Top

Problems related with the Nervous Central System (brain, cerebellum and spinal marrow) and with the Nervous Peripheral System (cranials nerves, nervous roots, nervous plexuses, peripheral nerves).

Geriatric Rehabilitation: Top

Functional Rehabilitation in elders. For it the physiotherapist will take into account the concomitant diseases and the own characteristic of the patient due to the advanced age.

Sporty Rehabilitation: Top

A sportsman (sportswoman) with injury not only must recover the normal function, but he(she) must return to a situation of great physical demand. For it one works until he(she) can recover the proper physical efforts of the sport that he(she) practises. Besides, the recovery must be made while the patient does certain training not to lose his(her) cardiopulmonary capacities and resistance, providing that it is possible. This way the return to the physical activity will be more rapid and fewer extenuating.

Traumatological Rehabilitation: Top

Bone fracture
Bone fissure
Tendinitis, tendosinovitis, entesitis
Sprain
Heel's spur
Muscular sprain, distension and spasm
Meniscus diseases
Joint Inflammation
Bursitis
Lumbar pain
Cervical pain
Post-surgical (prosthesis, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc...)
Etc.

Rheumatological Rehabilitation: Top

Arthrosis
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Chronic pain
Etc.

Relaxation and Anti-Stress Therapies: Top

Our current pace of life causes a series of tensions that might be avoided with a suitable concienciation and they can get ready with a correct treatment.

From the physical therapy we can contribute to find a welfare state by means of relaxing massages and making the patient to become aware of which are the causative elements of this stress, for this way they will be able to face with a series of simple guidelines that can help to avoid this excessive stress.

Physio-Aestetic: Top

With the effects of the massage and of the Manual Lymphatic Drainage, with the stimulating and fortifying currents as well as with concrete guidelines we are able to influence not only the health, but also the aesthetics.

Besides, any surgical intervention with aesthetic purposes will need a correct rehabilitation. For it, the physiotherapists will adapt their therapeutic tools in order that the aims of the above mentioned intervention are seen compliment up to the end.

TECHNIQUES

Therapeutic Massage: Top

The massage is a thousand-year-old skill of treatment. Nowadays the physiotherapist possesses the whole compendium of knowledges on the massage inherited from the different cultures that used it as system of healing.

At the present time there are a lot of studies that demonstrate the efficiency of the massage as therapeutic tool.

It consists of the application of a controlled force in a certain surface of the body to act on a tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament, joint ...) and this way to obtain its return to the normality, to the health.

Sporty Massage: Top

The particularities of the sportsman(sportswoman) have made an adjustment of the massage necessary to obtain the therapeutic aims. In the sportsman(spotswomen) the massage not only is necessary when there is injury, but also like means for the prevention of injuries by means of the elimination of muscular tensions that in case not being treated might unleash contractions(spasms) or inflammations (for example: tendinitis).

Relaxing Massage: Top

They exist written that reveal that the Chinamen already knew the benefits of the tact and the massage in the year 3000 B.C. They were the first ones, but not the only ones: Hellene, Egyptian, Roman and Hindues they developed, to his way, different skills of massage along the History. The modalities of massages that nowadays we can enjoy they derive from the knowledges compiled by these former civilizations.

Receiving a good massage is one of the most pleasant actions that we can experiment. It does not work miracles but it allows to relieve the physical discomfort - muscular and rheumatic pains, spasms ...-and to liberate the mental tension caused by the stress.

The stress produces an increase of the muscular strain, especially in the back. This muscular strain can manage to be troublesome and even painful, with which the individual will feel badly and will increase the sensation of stress entering a vicious circle. This way, the relaxing massage plays an important role as preventive way.

Benefits of the relaxing massage:
The benefits of the relaxing massage are noticed both physically and psychicly:

The muscles: they recover the elasticity and eliminate the signs of muscular tension.
The nervous system: the massage provides a relaxing sensation and does that vanish the tensions and worries. A relaxing massage can help to calm and to be avoided the disorder of not being able to fall asleep.
The circulatory system: it activates the blood traffic and increases the sending of oxygen to the tissues.
The skin: the peeling or friction of the skin on having massaged her with the hands helps to liberate the residues and to eliminate the dead cells.

Manual Lymphatic Drainaje: Top

It is a question of a type of very specializing massage that it acts on the lymphatic system of our organism. In the manual lymphatic drainage (DLM) neither creams nor oils are in use. The DLM is a very superficial and soft, and very effective massage.

The Lymphatic System is constituted by lymphatic vessels, ganglions and other tissues. One entrusts transporting the lymph, the white blood cells (defenses) and to gather the liquid spilled in the organism (among other functions).

Indications of the DLM: tired legs, swollen legs, bad blood traffic, retention of liquids, postoperatory, diverse inflammations...

Stretching: Top

The stretchings support to the agile and flexible muscles. They are necessary not only for sportsmen(sportswomen), but for all. Day by day the musculature of the whole body is accumulating strain. With this skill we can relax the muscles to avoid an excess of this strain and besides it helps us to eliminate it when already we have acquired it.

There are specific stretchings for every muscle and for every muscular group. Moreover they can be adapted according to the age and the state of health of the patient.

Some stretchings will be indicated to be done by oneself, and the physiotherapist will realize other stretchings in the consultation.

Relaxation's Techniques: Top

To control the breathing, to feel the difference between a tense muscle and the relaxed one, to learn to perceive in what part of the body we have strain, to adapt a sequence of stretchings and exercises, to recieve a relaxing massage occasionally... All this, taught well, can be of a great help for our body, our mind and our spirit, since we will be more relaxed to live more intensely.

Electrotherapy: Top

Analgesic current: They are in use to relieve the pain of a part located of the body.

Stimulating and fothifing currents: They are in use to strengthen or to stimulate muscles or muscular complete groups.

Galvanism and Iontophoresis: Galvanic current. It is in use to improve the trophism of a zone (galvanism) and for the application located of certain medicines (iontophoresis).

Magnetotherapy: Generator of magnetic therapeutic fields. It is applied in inflammatory processes, painful processes and in degenerative processes: tendinitis, edema, arthritis, arthrosis .... favoring the medical profile. We find its major application in the fractures and fissures of the bone, since it accelerates the union of the bone and this union is stronger than the normal ossification. (Click here for more information)

Ultrasounds y ultrasonophoresis: The ultrsounds help to reduce the inflammation and also they allow the application of medicaments in the shape of gel (ultrasonophoresis or sonophoresis).

Cryotherapy: Top

The cryotherapy is the utilization of the cold as therapeutic way, thanks to its analgesic and antiinflammatory properties.

Thermotherapy: Top

The thermotherapy is the utilization of the heat as therapeutic way, thanks to its analgesic, tranquilizing and relaxing properties.

Magnetotherapy: Top

The Magnetic Fields have been used with therapeutic ends by some decades. The interaction with the biological tissues have been demonstrated widly. Between its effects we find: I relieve of the pain (analgesia), antiinflammatory and anti-edemagenic action, acceleration healing of osseous fractures, and many more.

Except a few concrete cases, the magnetotherapy drives to the reduction of the time of recovery.

The physiotherapist can apply the magnetotherapy as complementary therapy to a more extensive physical treatment (massages, electrical currents, ultrasounds …), and/or he(she) can use it as helping treatment of other medical treatments.

The number of applications changes, being advisable a minimum of 10 meetings. Depending on the purpose of the application, every session can range among 10 and 30 minutes.

Among all the therapeutic technologies of natural physics, the magnetotherapy undoubtedly has one of the best therapeutic indexes by virtue of its numerous mechanisms of action and minimal lateral effects.

Here are showed a few examples of diseases that might benefit from the magnetotherapy:

-Facial algia.

-Tonsillitis.

-Anchylosis Espondilitis.

-Rheumatoid arthrites.

-Arthrosis of Hip.

-Arthrosis of Knee.

-Dorsal arthrosis.

-Arthrosis of shoulder.

-Lumbosacral arthrosis.

-Arthrosis of Hands and Feet.

-Bronchial asthma.

-Asthenia.

-Bursitis.

-Classic migraine.

-Cephalalgy by Muscular Tension.

-Ciatalgia - Isquialgia.

-Colitis.

-Contusions.

-Convalescence.

-Dermatitis of contact.

-Muscular strain.

-Circulatory Peripheral disorders.

-Metabolic disorders.

-Diabetes in Elderly (Diabetes Mellitus type II).

-Dyspepsia.

-Neuro-Vegetative Dystonia

-Back Pain.

-Pain in Ghost Member (after an amputation).

-Scheuermann's disease.

-Epicondilitis.

-Muscular sprain.

-Fractures.

-Gastralgia.

-Gastritis.

-Haematoma.

-Chronic Hepatopaty of myocardium.

-Wounds.

-Hipertonia.

-Insomnia.

-Cerebral Vascular injury.

-Disclocation.

-Crohn's disease.

-Migraine.

-Myositis.

-Nefriclerosis.

-Brachial Neuralgia.

-Neuralgia of the Triplet.

-Intercostal Neuralgia.

-Osteoporosis.

-Partial paralysis.

-Periarthritis of shoulder.

-Pseudo-Athrosis.

-Burns.

-Acute sinusitis.

-Chronic sinusitis.

-Tendinitis.

-Sprains.

-Crural Sore.

-Gastroduodenal Sore.

-Etc.

Contraindications:

-People with pacemaker.

-Tuberculosis.

-Diabetes Type I.

-Infection by fungus or virus.

-Pregnants.

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Concepts' Dictionary

Tendinitis: Top

Inflammation of the tendons that support muscles.

There are several causes. It is very important to treat the tendinitis as soon as possible so as to prevent that the injury becomes chronic.

Sprain: Top

Injury caused by twisting or straining the ligaments of a joint. There are 3 degrees according to the seriousness.

The most common joints which can be affected are: the ankle, wrist, knee, between the ribs, fingers, neck...

Stiff neck: Top

Muscle spasm in the neck. The most common muscles affected are: Trapezium, Levator Scapulae and Scalenes.

In adults it is usually caused by an incorrect posture, a bad movement, an exposure to an air's draught ... Whereas in newborn it can be a congenital Stiff neck, present at birth, and it can be caused by: an incorrect position of the head's foetus inside the uterus, an antenatal injury of muscles or a trouble in the provision of blood to the neck.

Muscle Spasm: Top

A few of muscle's fibers are in a spasm and can`t relax by natural way. These fibers don't let the whole muscle to work in the rihgt way, because of that the muscle strain is increased and it makes other muscles to try to make up for it, contributing to become a general muscles' fatigue and hurrying the appearance of new muscles's spasms.

In the course of time, if it is not correctly treated, the muscle spasm will become fibroid, an scar tissue without elasticity. This scar tissue will generate a weakening and bad function of the muscle in question.

Treatment at home

The domiciliary attention in rehabilitation is fundamental. It says to persons' assistance that they cannot go out of its domicile, either because they are too old, or because they hve been recently operated on, orl because they endure some problematics that prevents them displeasing or being displeased by relatives.

The physiotherapist examines the person who requests this type of attention to determine if really he(she) cannot move to the clinic. It is not a question of making any more commodes to the people, but being present at domicile the one who really needs it.

This establishment has the official permissions to offer these services and to be opened to the public.

- Eulogio Felipe López -

Graduate in Physical Therapy by Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH)

Member nº 983 - Physiotherapists' Official College of Valencian Community.

Honorary Appreciation: "Universitario 5 Estrellas" by The UMH

(for an integral formation)

Provincial Delegate in Alicante of the SEFIP

(Spanish Society of Paediatrics Physical Therapy)

Master's degree in Paediatrics Physical Therapy

(International of Cataluña University)

Psychosocial Care in Hospitalized Patients

(Menéndez Pelayo University. Valencia)