3^rd International Conference and Expo on Physiotherapy October 13-15, 2016 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Physiotherapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing movement potential, within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Physical therapists practice in a broad range of inpatient, outpatient, and community-based settings such as hospice and palliative care centers where as part of a multidisciplinary team of care, they address the physical and functional dimensions of the patients’ suffering. Physiotherapy treatment methods like therapeutic exercise, electrical modalities, thermal modalities, actinotherapy, mechanical modalities, manual physical therapy and assistive devices are useful for a range of life-threatening and life-limiting conditions like cancer and cancer-associated conditions; HIV; neurodegenerative disorders like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis; respiratory disorders like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; and altered mental states.

There are well over 20 different treatment approaches commonly used by your physiotherapist. Physiotherapists have been trained in the use of exercise therapy to strengthen your muscles and improve your function. Physiotherapy exercises have been scientifically proven to be one of the most effective ways that you can solve or prevent pain and injury.

Women’s Health Physiotherapy is the therapeutic treatment of all disorders affecting the pelvis and pelvic floor. From incontinence to prolapse, pelvic pain or constipation, there is growing evidence that physiotherapy can alleviate, and in many cases cure these symptoms. Most women don’t know that help is available and it can be an embarrassing topic.

Common physical therapy goals of enhancing strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, sequencing, motor control, kinesthetic senses, posture and alignment can be impacted with the judicious use of Yoga and certain yogic principles. For example, the mindfulness and visualizations of Yoga are used to enhance body awareness, balance and alignment. The "holding" phase of the Yoga asanas help to build isometric muscle power, tone muscles, perform active stretching of targeted muscle groups. The controlled transitions in and out of postures enhance coordination, sequencing and motor control. By breathing into the postures, muscle spasms can be relaxed, and pain can be relieved. Synchronizing the breath with the movements further enhances oxygenation, and energy levels, leading to a feeling of wellbeing.

Not only can your physiotherapist assist you at sport, they can also assist you at work. Ergonomics looks at the best postures and workstation set up for your body at work. Whether it is lifting technique improvement, education programs or workstation setups, your physiotherapist can help you.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation respiratory practitioners and physical therapists offer therapy for a wide variety of cardiopulmonary disorders or pre and post cardiac or pulmonary surgery. An example of cardiac surgery is coronary bypass surgery. Primary goals of this specialty include increasing endurance and functional independence. Manual therapy is used in this field to assist in clearing lung secretions experienced with cystic fibrosis. Pulmonary disorders, heart attacks, post coronary bypass surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, treatments can benefit from cardiovascular and pulmonary specialized physical therapists

Cardiac Electrophysiology (also referred to as clinical cardiac electrophysiology, arrhythmia services, or electrophysiology), is a branch of the medical specialty of clinical cardiology and is concerned with the study and treatment of rhythm disorders of the heart. This specialty area includes electrotherapy/physical agents, electrophysiological evaluation (EMG/NCV), physical agents, and wound management.

Geriatric physical therapy covers a wide area of issues concerning people as they go through normal adult aging but is usually focused on the older adult. There are many conditions that affect many people as they grow older and include but are not limited to the following: arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, hip and joint replacement, balance disorders, incontinence, etc. Geriatric physical therapists specialize in providing therapy for such conditions in older adults.

Integumentary physical therapy includes the treatment of conditions involving the skin and all its related organs. Common conditions managed include wounds and burns. Physical therapists may utilize surgical instruments, wound irrigations, dressings and topical agents to remove the damaged or contaminated tissue and promote tissue healing. Other commonly used interventions include exercise, edema control, splinting, and compression garments. The work done by physical therapists in the integumentary specialty do work similar to what would be done by medical doctors or nurses in the emergency room or triage.

Paediatric physical therapy assists in early detection of health problems and uses a limited variety of modalities to provide physical therapy for disorders in the paediatric population. These therapists are specialized in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infants, children, and adolescents with a variety of congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, or acquired disorders/diseases. Treatments focus mainly on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, strength and endurance as well as cognitive and sensory processing/integration.

Physical therapy or physiotherapy is a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialty that remediates impairments and promotes mobility, function, and quality of life through examination, diagnosis, prognosis, and physical intervention (therapy using mechanical force and movements). It is carried out by physical therapists (known as physiotherapists in most countries).

In addition to clinical practice, other activities encompassed in the physical therapy profession include research, education, consultation, and administration. In many settings, physical therapy services may be provided alongside, or in conjunction with, other medical services.

Sports related Physiotherapy is the specialized branch of physiotherapy which deals with injuries and issues related to sports people. Sports injuries do differ to everyday injuries. Athletes normally require high level performance and demand placed upon their body, which stresses their muscles, joints and bones to the limit. Sports physiotherapists help athletes recover from sporting injuries, and provide education and resources to prevent problems. Each sports physiotherapist usually has sport-specific knowledge that addresses acute, chronic and over-use injuries. Their services are generally available to sports men and women of all ages engaged in sports at any level of competition.

There has been renewed interest in the spondyloarthropathy family of chronic inflammatory Pain medication conditions, which has been fueled to a large extent by the biologic era. Over the period of the past 2 years in particular, there have been several notable advances. First, there have been a number of large, high-quality randomized controlled trials evaluating the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers and conservative treatments such as physiotherapy and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for use in spondyloarthropathy. Operant behavioral and cognitive-behavioral treatment for chronic low back pain

The three most notable forms of manual therapy are manipulation, mobilization and massage. Manipulation is the artful introduction of a rapid rotational, shear or distraction force into an articulation. Manipulation is often associated with an audible popping sound caused by the instantaneous breakdown of gas bubbles that form during joint cavitation. Mobilization is a slower, more controlled process of articular and soft-tissue (myofascial) stretching intended to improve bio-mechanical elasticity. Massage is typically the repetitive rubbing, stripping or kneading of myofascial tissues to principally improve interstitial fluid dynamics.

Rehabilitation is a treatment or treatments designed to facilitate the process of recovery from injury, illness, or disease to as normal a condition as possible. The purpose of rehabilitation is to restore some or all of the patient's physical, sensory, and mental capabilities that were lost due to injury, illness, or disease. Rehabilitation includes assisting the patient to compensate for deficits that cannot be reversed medically. It is prescribed after many types of injury, illness, or disease, including amputations, arthritis, cancer, cardiac disease, neurological problems, orthopedic injuries, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and traumatic brain injuries. The Institute of Medicine has estimated that as many as 14% of all Americans may be disabled at any given time.

Neurological physical therapy, Rehabilitation after stroke is crucial because two thirds of patients suffer disability as a result of the stroke. The disability depends on the size and location of the stroke. For example, stroke in the left side of the brain tends to impair speech, comprehension of the spoken word, motor power and sensation on the right side of the body. Stroke in the right side of the brain tends to impair attention, Spinal Cord Injury, and movement and sensation on the left side of the body.

Physiotherapy in the field of oncology and palliative care is a continuously evolving and developing specialty, both in malignant and non-malignant diseases. Rehabilitation for both groups of patients is now recognized as an essential part of the clinical pathway, as early diagnoses and new treatments are enabling patients to live longer. It is generally accepted that patients should have access to an appropriate level of rehabilitation, so that they can function at a minimum level of dependency and optimize their quality of life, regardless of their life expectancy.

Orthopaedic physical therapists diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system including rehabilitation after orthopedic surgery. This speciality of physical therapy is most often found in the out-patient clinical setting. Orthopaedic therapists are trained in the treatment of post-operative orthopaedic procedures, fractures, acute sports injuries, arthritis, sprains, strains, back and neck pain, spinal conditions, and amputations.

Joint and spine mobilization/manipulation, dry needling (similar to acupuncture), therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular techniques, muscle re-education, hot/cold packs, and electrical muscle stimulation (e.g., cryotherapy, iontophoresis, electrotherapy) are modalities employed to expedite recovery in the orthopedic setting. Additionally, an emerging adjunct to diagnosis and treatment is the use of sonography for diagnosis and to guide treatments such as muscle retraining. Those who have suffered injury or disease affecting the muscles, bones, ligaments, or tendons will benefit from assessment by a physical therapist specialized in orthopaedics.

As treatment continues, physical therapists document progress, conduct periodic examinations and modify treatments when necessary. Such documentation is used to track the patient's progress and identify areas requiring more or less attention. Physical therapists often consult and practice with a variety of other professionals, including physicians, dentists, nurses, educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Some PTs treat all physical disabilities, while others specialize in areas such as paediatrics, geriatrics, orthopaedics, sports medicine, neurology and cardiopulmonary physical therapy.

Physiotherapy/Physical Therapy is a health care profession that aims to develop, maintain and restore maximum functional ability throughout life. It helps in restoring normal body function and preventing disability arising from disease, trauma or injury. PTs utilize an individual's history and physical examination to arrive at a diagnosis and establish a management plan, and when necessary, incorporate the results of laboratory and imaging studies. Physical therapy has many specialties including cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurological, sports, manual, orthopedic and pediatrics to name some of the more common areas.