There are some similarities between physical therapy (also known as physiotherapy) and chiropractic treatment.
In the body, all disciplines handle and control discomfort and stiffness. They are both practised by licensed practitioners with years of science education.
But their methods may differ slightly.
In this article, if you have pain, joint stiffness, or trouble moving, we will take a closer look at these two disciplines, how they vary, what advantages they offer, and how to choose between the two.
What does a physical therapist do?
A physiotherapist, also referred to as a PT, focuses on enhancing your ability to move and work without pain, which, in turn, helps to increase your quality of life.
PT’s aim is for you to reach the highest possible degree of movement to work in everyday life.
PTs measure you, lead you through stretches and workouts, and advise you on ways to remain safe and active.
Treatment with physical therapy might include:
- An examination of your pain, flexibility, and movement
- To help you get stronger and walk faster, drills, stretches, or hands-on manipulation
- Education on posture with instruction on how to move to prevent injury or pain
- Hot or cold therapy and several other pain relief modalities
- A fitness approach to boost your overall well being
You will find that you need just a couple of sessions with a PT before you see a change in your condition.
Or, to get relief, you can need long-term PT. Your PT will review your progress and put together a plan for your treatment.
Before being certified, Physiotherapists in Singapore must receive a doctorate in physical therapy (DPT).
Why use physical therapy?
PT can be a practical choice for therapy if you:
- Have limited mobility because of:
- an accident
- Injury
- Surgery Operation
- A Condition of Health
- Feeling pain associated with movement
- You want to retain or improve your ability to move easily.
- Strength must be built, and the consequences of a health condition must be combated, such as:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Miscellaneous sclerosis
- Parkinson’s
- Stroke
- COPD
What does a chiropractor do?
Chiropractors are certified doctoral practitioners who use a hands-on approach to relieve pain and inflammation by manipulating body parts.
The idea behind chiropractic treatment is that with a chiropractor’s interventions, your body can heal itself.
Like physical therapy, chiropractic treatment does not require taking medications or having surgery. Before undergoing more invasive therapies, you might want to check out chiropractic care.
Many health problems for people of all ages are protected by chiropractic treatment. It focuses on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems in particular.
A chiropractor in Singapore can:
- Assess symptoms based on a physical examination and tests
- Adjustments to body areas or using methods such as spinal manipulation to help relieve discomfort and inflammation
- Explore other types of therapy
- Recommend doing some home exercises or making lifestyle improvements to decrease pain and inflammation
Why use chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care can be a practical choice for treatment if you have:
- Pain in the Back
- Pain in the neck
- joint pain (like your knees, hips, elbow)
- Headaches
Which therapy to choose?
So, what is the best way to assess which kind of care is right for you? That depends on the type of condition you have and your particular requirements.
You may often want to use both PT and chiropractic treatment to help alleviate pain and improve your quality of life, depending on your condition.
When trying to decide on the type of therapy you need, it’s best to speak to your doctor. Your doctor will warn you and help understand how your symptoms can be relieved by a specific therapy.
