Types of Physiotherapists
Physiotherapy
21 types of physiotherapists! That’s
a lot of physiotherapists. When I sat down to write this article, I wasn’t even
sure if I could name that many! Of course, once I started researching and
brainstorming, this list came together easily.
We often view physiotherapy and
physiotherapists as one entity a group or an individual who can do it all and
who knows everything about every condition. There is a high degree of
specialization within the industry, and it’s important to find physiotherapists
that have the training and experience to help you with your injury or
condition. Imagine taking your car to a boat automotive they could probably
diagnose the problem, but would you feel comfortable with them fixing your car?
The same argument applies to physiotherapy you’re probably not going to go to a
Neuro physiotherapist for a pelvic floor issue!
In this post, we’ll be covering the 21
different types of physiotherapists. We’ll review the conditions they treat and
by the end of this article, you should have a really good idea
of what physiotherapist you should see and how they can help you.
1. Orthopedic Physiotherapists
Orthopedic physiotherapy is defined
as the medical specialty concerned with the correction of deformities
or functional impairments of the skeletal system, especially the extremities
and the spine, and associated structures, such as muscles and ligaments.
If you have an injury or condition related to the injuries and conditions that involve the skeleton (bones), muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Orthopedic physiotherapy can be thought of as an umbrella term, under which disciplines like hand physiotherapists and shoulder physiotherapists fall (more on those later).
The average salary in Pakistan
is 486,000 PKR / Year.
2. Cardio-Respiratory Physiotherapist
You’re probably going to be hearing a
lot about cardio-respiratory physiotherapy in the next few months! As people
are recovering from COVID-19, cardio-respiratory physiotherapists will be of
the utmost importance. This discipline of physiotherapy specializes in the prevention,
rehabilitation, and compensation of clients with diseases and injuries in the
heart and lungs.
3. Pediatric Physiotherapist
/ Kids
Physiotherapist
Pediatric physiotherapy is simply the
delivery of physiotherapy services to children and youth, from birth to about
25 years of age.
Typically, people visit a pediatric
physiotherapist to have their child’s condition/injury assessed. This can
include gross motor function and posture, including strength, gait,
flexibility, balance, coordination, and sensory processing. Pediatric
physiotherapists usually treat children using manual therapy, hands-on
facilitation, education, referrals to other specialists, and/or prescription of
a home exercise program.
The average salary in Pakistan
is 1,969,418 PKR / Year.
4. Sports Physiotherapist / Sports Injury Physiotherapist
This is a specialization of
physiotherapy that primarily deals with preventing injury and rehabilitating
patients and athletes who participate in sports activities.
5. Women’s Health Physiotherapist
These physiotherapists utilize treatment
to help all disorders affecting the pelvis, pelvic floor, and after or before birth care.
From incontinence to prolapse, pelvic pain, or constipation!
There is growing evidence that
physiotherapy can alleviate, and in many cases cure these symptoms. Most women
don’t even know these services exist, so if you suffer from any of the above a
women’s health physiotherapist is whom you need!
6.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Under the umbrella of Women’s Health,
some physiotherapists primarily focus on the pelvic floor. These
physiotherapists help women rehabilitate their pelvic floor muscles. These
muscles can be weakened by childbirth, surgery, heavy lifting, being
overweight, constipation, or menopause.
The pelvic floor muscles support the
womb (uterus), bladder, and bowel (colon), forming a 'sling'
from the pubic bone at the front to the tailbone at the back. If the muscles
are weak, this can affect bladder and bowel control, resulting in incontinence
(leakage) or prolapse. Visit a pelvic floor physiotherapist to get help with
these symptoms!
7. Neuro Physiotherapist
Neuro physiotherapy is a type of
therapeutic intervention that aims at treating patients who suffer from
disorders that are neurological in nature. Neuro physiotherapy is not just one
technique but rather a multitude of intervention techniques aimed at
rehabilitating patients with very specific disorders and traumas.
Neuro Physiotherapists can treat:
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s
- Brain Injuries
- Concussions
- MS
- Alzheimer’s disease
Our Neuro Physiotherapist Julie Adair
is certified
in the Neuro-Developmental Theory (NDTA) and the LSVT BIG Program for
Parkinson’s disease.
8. Vestibular Physiotherapist
/ Vertigo physiotherapist
Three things
keep you
stable in this world your visual system, your proprioceptive system, and your
vestibular system. Think of these three things like legs on a stool if one leg
is missing or wobbly, your entire balance is thrown off.
Vestibular (or vertigo)
physiotherapists help retrain this system so that you can regain your balance
and get rid of dizziness. They use a multitude of different equipment and
exercise to recalibrate your system. This therapy is great if you’re
experiencing dizziness, unsteadiness, or vertigo after a head injury or
illness.
The fee for specialists in Vestibular Rehabilitation
in Pakistan varies from PKR 500-3000 depending upon the
doctor's
experience and qualification.
9. Concussion / TBI Physiotherapist
There are many ways that a
physiotherapist can help you after a concussion. It is such a common injury
these days that there are now physiotherapists that specialize in treating
them!
Concussion treatment can involve
manual therapy, coordination exercises, exercises to strengthen neck muscles,
and myofascial release.
10. Hand Physiotherapist
Hand therapy treatment may include
splinting, wound care, management of swelling and scars, exercises,
normalization of sensation, and education to facilitate a safe and timely
return to work and daily activities.
A hand physiotherapist usually has
special training (Certified Hand Therapist), and extensive knowledge and
experience when it comes to rehabilitation of the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
11. Foot Pain Physiotherapist
Are you a runner? Do you wear
orthotics? Have you had surgery on your feet? If you’ve answered yes to any of
the above, then you should seek out a physiotherapist who has training and
experience with foot and foot pain.
If you’ve ever had foot pain, you know that it is almost impossible to ignore it! Your activities of daily living are always impacted, and it’s a real downer. Here are some ways that physiotherapy can help with foot pain:
- Perform a detailed gait analysis
- Musculoskeletal assessment
- Strengthening of the ankle, calf, and upper muscle of the
leg
- Foot mobilization (if needed)
12. Shoulder Pain Physiotherapist
Just like foot pain, shoulder pain
can impact your everyday activities! Shoulder pain physiotherapists will focus
on the upper extremities and your mobility, range of motion, and any muscle
imbalances. They have a detailed knowledge of the upper body and understand how
all muscles cooperate.
If you’re
experiencing
shoulder pain from an injury (or sometimes just sleeping wrong!), then it will
be worth visiting a physiotherapist that can put together a comprehensive
rotator cuff and shoulder conditioning program.
The fee for the top doctors for Shoulder Pain in Islamabad ranges from Rs. 1,000 to 6,000. You can pay at reception when you visit the doctor.
13. ICU Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists are found in abundance in hospitals, but many people don’t know that they are especially needed in the ICU (intensive care unit). Physiotherapy is an important intervention that prevents and mitigates the adverse effects of prolonged bed rest and mechanical ventilation during critical illness.
Rehabilitation delivered by the physiotherapist is tailored to the patient's needs and depends on the conscious state, psychological status, and physical strength of the patient. It incorporates any active and passive therapy that promotes movement and includes mobilization. Early progressive physiotherapy, with a focus on mobility and walking whilst ventilated, is essential in minimizing functional decline. However, a cross-sectional, multicenter point prevalence research aiming to study the prevalence of physical therapy or occupational therapy-provided mobility indicates the need for systematic and interdisciplinary mobilization approaches for critically ill children as therapists were not consistently consulted for mobilization.
The estimated base pay is PKR
70,000 per month.
14. Online Physiotherapist / Virtual Physiotherapist
With the global pandemic of COVID-19,
virtual physiotherapists or online physiotherapists have seen exponential
growth! Virtual physiotherapy was certainly an option before the pandemic, but
it has made clinics shift to offering this option to clients. Typically, these
physiotherapists are extremely good at verbal communication and have a high
level of knowledge that allows them to fully explain your condition (instead of
using manual therapy).
15. Mobile Physiotherapist
A mobile physiotherapist typically sees clients in their homes, in a hospital, at their work, or somewhere like a community center or pool.
Mobile physiotherapists can see the day-to-day
obstacles that clients are dealing with and make it easy for the
client to get
treatment if they’re immobile and there is no traffic, parking, or busy
clinic to deal with!
16. Back Pain Physiotherapist
Did you know that back pain is one of
the most common conditions that we see clients for?! At some point in your
life, you will experience back pain either from an injury, your posture, or a
spine condition. You’ll want to see a back pain physiotherapist at this point!
They can use manual therapy, stretching, modalities such as ice/heat, shockwave
treatment, TENs machines, ultrasound treatment, and strengthening to get you
back to feeling your best.
Back pain physiotherapists are also
quite knowledgeable in your neck and shoulder positioning, as well as posture
assessments and sleep assessments. They recognize that all these things can
play a huge role in your back health!
17. Knee Pain Physiotherapist
Just like back pain, knee pain is one
of the main issues we see clients for. 10% of men and 13% of women will
experience knee osteoarthritis. This is the most common condition, but we often
see clients who have had total knee replacements or have experienced a significant
accident/injury to their knees.
Knee pain Physiotherapists can help
in a similar way that backs pain physiotherapists can use different modalities with
a combination of manual therapy, myofascial release, and strengthening
exercises.
18. Geriatric Physiotherapist
As we age, there are many common
physical problems ranging from sore joints and reduced mobility to back pain
and even more serious diseases like Osteoporosis, MS, and Parkinson’s. Many
seniors begrudgingly accept these aches and pains as an inevitable part of
aging and learn to live with them, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
That’s where geriatric physiotherapy
comes in! Regular appointments with a physiotherapist can help seniors regain
their independence and have them feel years younger.
19. Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy involves the treatment of disorders that affect how you move – how your muscles and joints work together. Whether it’s your feet, ankles and legs, your hands, arms, and shoulders, or your backs and necks an injury that makes it painful or difficult to move can have a big impact on your life.
This is a big umbrella term as many
of the physiotherapists, we spoke of in this article
technically fall under this definition.
20. Rehab Consultant
A rehabilitation consultant generally provides vocational rehabilitation consultations and case management services. Typically, these consultants work for private companies that are contracted by the province (i.e., ICBC) to provide efficient services that meet legal requirements. Their responsibilities are to manage a client caseload, make assessments of the vocational ability of each client, address any special accommodation they need at their job, and assist them with returning to work.
Rehab consultants can be
physiotherapists or occupational therapists and they can help you utilize further
resources to help you remain at your job if you are injured or diagnosed with a
condition that prevents you from working.
A person
working as a Rehabilitation Counselor in Pakistan typically earns around 103,000
PKR per month. Salaries range from 55,400 PKR (lowest) to 155,000
PKR (highest).
21. Best Physiotherapist