Department Of Physiotherapy – Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
Physiotherapy or Physical Therapy is the provision of services to people and populations to develop maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. It includes the provision of services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by the process of aging or that of injury or disease. The method of physical therapy sees full and functional movement as the heart of what it means to be healthy.
Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing movement potential, within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. It involves the interaction between clients, families and caregivers, in the process of assessing movement potential and in establishing agreed upon goals and objectives using knowledge and skills unique to physical therapists.
The physiotherapy Department is under the Administration sub-BMC and it provides preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to its clientele.The clinical department offers services on out-patient and in- patient basis.
Mission Statement
Working in a team with other sub-BMCs, the physiotherapy department aspires to provide the highest quality of preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to its clients within available resources.
Developing excellence in teaching
Developing its staff through training programmes to enable them to operate in an effective and most efficient manner.
To promote research and dissemination of useful information to the general public.
Core Functions
Physiotherapists (PTs) provide valuable health care for people across the life span from birth to older age. The department provides preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to both in and out patients. In addition to this the department conducts research and facilitates the training of new therapists.
Services Run by the Department
– In Patient Services
– Out- Patient Services
– Paediatric Services
– Teaching introductory physiotherapy to medical students
– Teaching/supervising physiotherapy students during clinical postings.
– Supervising physiotherapy interns
Teams / Units During therapy sessions.
Orthopaedic / Accident Centre/ Chest Clinic physiotherapy Team
The following are examples of the types of conditions managed / treated by PTs:
Musculoskeletal Disorders
– Back and neck pain
– Sports injuries
– Repetitive strain injuries (i.e.: carpal tunnel, tennis elbow)
– Motor vehicle accidents
– Post-surgical rehabilitation (i.e.: hip or knee replacement)
Neuro Rehabilitation
– Stroke
– Spinal cord injury
– Peripheral nerve injuries
– Head injuries
– Parkinson’s
– Multiple Sclerosis
– Gillian barre syndrome
– Alzheimer’s disease
Cardiorespiratory
– Asthma
– Chronic obstructive lung disease
– Pneumonia
– Post-surgical rehabilitation (i.e.: cardiac, thoracic or abdominal)
– Cardiac rehabilitation
– Cystic Fibrosis
Paediatrics
– Cerebral palsy
– Brachial plexus injuries (i.e.: erbs palsy, klumpke’s paralysis)
– Arthrogryposis congenital
– Moebius syndrome
– Club foot
– Delayed developmental milestones
– Perthe’s disease
– Spina bifida
– Torticollis
PTs also work in areas such as women’s health (including pre and post natal care, and other women’s health issues), geriatrics, management of sports injuries. Physios also help manage the physical complications of cancer and its treatment, and care for physical symptoms associated with arthritic conditions.
How we manage these conditions.
The PT..
examines the patient’s medical history
tests and measures the patient’s
– strength
– range of motion
– balance
– coordination
– posture
– muscle performance
– respiration
– motor function
and then develops the patient’s plan describing a treatment strategy and its targeted outcome.
PTs manage the above conditions using physical modalities such as heat, cold, infra red, laser, ultrasound, electrical currents and other wave forms. In addition to these, PTs use exercise therapy, mobilization and soft tissue techniques to …
– train endurance
– improve strength and flexibility
– improve joint range of motion
– train balance
– improve coordination
To help with mobility and dexterity, physical therapists teach patients how to use
– prostheses
– crutches
– wheelchairs
– other adaptive devices
…and how to exercise to speed up recovery.
The physical therapist monitors the patient’s progress, carries out periodic examinations, and modifies treatment along the way as required.
The physical therapist liaises with doctors, nurses, dentists, teachers, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and parents or caregivers