Dr. Vijay Guleria, BPT MPT(Ortho) MSW. Physiotherapy advocate

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Disabilities and physiotherapy

Disability and physiotherapy
Physiotherapy has wide scope to fight disabilities. Physiotherapists fight the disabilities in hospital, clinical and home setups also.


Community based rehabilitation is also a wide area for physiotherapists where job of physiotherapist is to rehabilitate the affected person in his community by using  the resources available in the area classical example is using bamboo sticks to make a parallel bars.
To fight with disabilities physiotherapist must have a clear view about different type of disabilities.

Physical disabilities
Mental disabilities
Speech and hearing disabilities.
Mixed disabilities or multiple disabilities

Physical disabilities

Physical disabilities are the disabilities which are widely treated by physiotherapists these are disabilities related to skeleton and muscular  system.
Disuse atrophy, metabolic disorders, polio, muscular dystrophy and congenital disorders are broadly cover this part of disability.
Motor disfunctions are covered in this type.
Physical corrective actions along with implants, othosis and prosthesis are need to be take care of it.
Strengthening exercises range of motion exercises, streatching exercises along with relaxation exercises need to be apply in such patients.
Wheelchair training toilet training activity of daily living also need to teach in some of the cases.

Awareness about various physical disabilities need to made in common people as people not accept the disabled individuals as members of society even some time it is seen that family members hide these case and think it is a curse by God. They don't take the person or like to seek help from medical professional.

Special role: physiotherapists, occupational therapist, orthotics and and prosthetics

Mental disabilities

Mental retardation where patients are not developed equally to their physical age.
Delayed mile stones, mental retardation, ADHD, autism, down syndrome are some of the example.
Management of this include special education, integrated education and play therapy.

Special role: special educators

Speach and hearing disabilities

These people are unable to speak and listen properly. Disorders may varies from fully to partial. Deafness and dumbness disabilities are treated with the help of speech therapy hearing aids and audiometry. Some surgicals procedures like cochlear implant are helpful in some cases.

Special role: speech therapist, audiologist.

Mixed disabilities

These are the disabilities which consist of two or more then two disabilities mentioned above. Eg. Cerebral palsy, hemiplegia etc
 Special role: need team efforts.






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