Physical therapy can lead to better quality of life, say experts

AMMAN — Physical therapy can have a long-term, positive effect on health and better the quality of life in old age, according to experts.

Physical therapist Hadi Samaneh said that physical therapy is a natural way of addressing mobility limitations, physical disabilities and pain. It typically includes exercises and treatments such as passive stretches, soft tissue massage or joint manipulation. 

In addition, the application of heat, cold or sound waves can be used in the treatment, he added. 

Samaneh also said that physical therapy can improve circulation, flexibility, reduce or stop pain, help regain body function, teach the body how to master specific movements, improve lung capacity and cardiac function following surgeries or diseases, and teach kids in some cases how to walk or even crawl and much more. 

“Physical therapy is recommended when someone is in pain due to issues with the muscles, tendons, joints, ligaments or nerves. It is also a must-do following neurological issues like stroke or even multiple sclerosis, as well as injuries or ailments that affect someone’s functional abilities,” Samaneh told The Jordan Times in a recent interview.

According to Samaneh, the importance of physical therapy lies in the human capacity to change. 

“The human brain, nervous and musculoskeletal systems are such complex entities that are highly fragile, yet adaptable. This is where the importance of physical therapy takes place; it induces a change to the system and restore proper function,” he added.

“The notion of physiotherapy is warranted in the case of injury; the new scientific literature encourages the early management to prevent issues,” Samaneh continued.

As far as age is concerned, everyone could benefit from physiotherapy, including infants, and especially those with growth abnormailities, he said.

Some examples of medical issues that could benefit from physical therapy are jaw issues, headaches, disc issues, postpartum issues, knee and shoulder pain in general and many more, Samaneh added.

He indicated that the biggest challenge in the field is obtaining greater acceptance in the medical community and more importantly, among patients. The complexity of the human body is another challenge of the field, he noted. 

“It is never only one part of the body which hurts. Therefore, figuring out the body connections is like an art. The body is like a bunch of pulley systems connected together, if one pulley becomes broken, the rest of the system falls apart,” Samaneh noted.

Sarah Salous, another physical therapist, said that back and neck pain are very common among the general population due to people’s lifestyles, whether at home or at work.

“As physical therapists, we are experts in the human movement system and we have the skills required to evaluate and diagnose movement system dysfunction. High quality movement is necessary to be able to maintain good posture and a good range of motion,” Salous told The Jordan Times.

She indicated that the nature of most of jobs lead to multiple motion issues and muscle injuries. 

“This is why I advise people who sit in front of a screen for long hours to always go for physiotherapy; early interventions are important factors in preventing work-related injuries and also preventing bad posture,” Salous added.

According to Salous, the human body’s movement does not stay the exact same across our life time.

“As we grow, changes in our muscular strength, balance and proprioception, posture and daily activities further affect the way we move. Add an injury, a learned faulty movement pattern, or a less than optimal static posture, and our movement is impacted even more. Everyone deserves access to the tools needed to optimise movement at every stage of life, which is what we can offer,” she explained.

She encouraged everyone to visit a physical therapist “from time to time”, especially athletes.

“Physical therapists should take an active role in routinely assessing people’s motion in order to support our walking, running, jumping, sitting and every other activity that we participate in, which would lead to having a better body when we get older,” Salous continued.

Raising awareness regarding the importance of physical therapy, muscular recovery and healthy movement is much needed by the Jordanian population, she said, further noting that it is “vital” in order to maintain a healthy body at all stages of life.