Definition of Physiotherapy:

Set of therapeutic processes using natural physical agents such as water, heat, cold, light, electric currents, etc.
The effectiveness of physiotherapy within functional rehabilitation is remarkable if the technique is well adapted to the indication. There are only a few devices that are useless, but there is none that is a universal panacea. They each have particular properties and application methods, as long as they are used and applied well.

Classification of physiotherapy devices:

• Electrotherapy
  • Analgesic
  • Excito-motor
• Mechanical waves
  • Ultrasound
  • Infra-sound
  • Focal shock waves (known as “high energy density”) are concentrated on a given point and at a given depth. They are more powerful and of shorter duration than radial waves, which makes it possible to treat a specific area in depth without effect on surrounding tissues).
  • Radial shock waves (known as “low energy density”, are low and medium energy acoustic waves suitable for the treatment of musculoskeletal tissues).
• Electromagnetic waves
  • Centimeter waves (Cenimeter waves produce thermotherapy mainly localized to muscle tissues).
  • Short pulsed waves (thermal and “tissue” mechanism).
• Laser
• Thermotherapy
  • Cryotherapy (Use of cold)
  • Parafangotherapy (application of a mixture of paraffin, volcanic mud and mineral salts, such as carbonic acid, iron, lime and sulfur.

Objective of physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is the therapy of human gestures (kinêsis means “movement” in Greek). It uses the movement or, on the contrary, corrects and reduces the movement, by different techniques or by the application of a restraint, in order to restore to the body a function which has been altered. For example, to regain the use of a hand after reconstructive surgery, or at least teach it to adapt to its new condition, or to teach an amputee patient to walk with a prosthesis.

Physiotherapy means treatment through movement. It acts at the muscular and joint level. The techniques are used for the purpose of rehabilitating the person’s movement and posture.