Have you ever suffered a sporting injury and needed help getting back on your feet? Do you live with a disability that affects your mobility? Well, at some point in your life you would have likely sought the help of a Physiotherapist. These are trained professionals who help people get their movement to a comfortable level, but what types of physiotherapy are there?
Continue reading to get the answer! By learning about the different types of physiotherapy, you may get inspired to embark on a career as a Physiotherapist. We can help you achieve that goal through online healthcare courses, so get reading!
What Does a Physiotherapist Do?
Before we explore the types of physiotherapy, you need to understand what a Physiotherapist does. Essentially, a trained Physiotherapist is responsible for helping people that have physical difficulties, usually caused by one of the following:
- Illness
- Injury
- Disability
- Ageing
While the day-to-day responsibilities will alter slightly depending on the types of physiotherapy, UK professionals will provide various treatments in a bid to restore and enhance a person’s movement, while also reducing the risk of more problems arising.
Before administering types of physiotherapy treatment, a Physiotherapist will meet with patients to diagnose and discuss their mobility problems. The next steps will be to:
- Design and review treatment programmes
- Treat the patient
- Advise them on their health and wellbeing
- Give advice on how to avoid a recurrence of the problem or long-term effects
So, What Types of Physiotherapy are There?
Have we piqued your interest in physiotherapy yet? Well, below we have outlined the main physiotherapy types of treatment that you could specialise in should you decide to embark on this career path.
Cardiovascular
This speciality of physiotherapy focuses on chronic heart disease and the rehabilitation process for people who have had a heart attack, experienced heart failure, or have had a pacemaker inserted. Essentially, anyone who has suffered a heart issue will benefit from the expertise of a Cardiac Physiotherapist.
This is one of the different types of physiotherapy jobs you can pursue, and this role is always needed given that many people who suffer heart problems have other issues, such as:
- Back pain
- Joint issues
- Arthritis
- Respiratory problems
- Stroke
A Cardiac Physiotherapist will assess various aspects of a person’s health and condition post-cardiac event. They will check a person’s overall functioning, including:
- Strength
- Joint motion
- Respiratory capacity
- Endurance
The main purpose of a Cardiac Physiotherapist is to help reduce the risk of death and boost a person’s general health and wellbeing.
Neurology
The nervous system is the core component of your body – the engine if you will – and it controls how you move, how you feel, and how you respond to the world around you. It originates from your brain and hits all the systems and processes across your body.
Any issues that affect the body’s command centre can lead to mobility issues. This is where neurological physiotherapy comes in. This is one of the types of physiotherapy that many choose to progress into as it can make a huge difference to someone’s quality of life.
Individuals with neurological conditions may experience difficulties with various physical elements, such as:
- General mobility
- Range of movement
- Muscle strength
- Balance
Professionals working in this field of physiotherapy will administer treatment that will aim to:
- Rehabilitate individuals
- Help people reach developmental stages
- Slow down the deterioration of physical abilities
Neuromusculoskeletal
If your ambition is to become a Sports Physiotherapist, then neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy is the best course of action you can take. There are different types of physiotherapy that focus primarily on joints and others that focus primarily on neurological disorders.
Neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy is one that encompasses both disorders that affect the nerves and ones that hamper muscles, joints, and bones. Essentially, a Physiotherapist who specialises in this area will primarily provide treatment to people who experience:
- Arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Whiplash
- Back pain
Paediatrics
A Children’s Physiotherapist is one who specialises in helping children reach physical milestones. Not every child develops in the same way or at the same pace, so a Paediatric Physiotherapist is one of the types of physiotherapy UK families can benefit from.
Professionals in this role help babies from the tender age of 1 day old, all the way up to adolescence. There are various types of treatments involved in this form of physiotherapy, including:
- Soft tissue massage
- Stretching
- Posture training
- Mobilisation
- Tailored therapeutic exercises
Respiratory
Many people live with respiratory disorders, and there are types of physiotherapy treatment they can seek to ease the discomfort. A Physiotherapist who specialises in respiratory treatments will generally treat individuals who have the following:
- Asthma
- Emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic fibrosis
Physiotherapists will assess their patients and provide advice on how to better manage their respiratory condition, while also potentially carrying out the following:
- Hands-on treatments
- Postural drainage
- Breathing exercises
- Therapeutic exercises
How to Pursue Different Types of Physiotherapy Jobs
Now that you know the different types of physiotherapy jobs you can pursue, do you feel ready to take the plunge and start working towards a rewarding career? To become a Physiotherapist, you will need to study an undergraduate or postgraduate physiotherapy degree that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
If you’re thinking, ‘I want to study a degree, but I don’t have A Levels’, then we here at learndirect can help. We boast a range of online healthcare courses that lead to exciting careers! Our Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health Professionals) can help get you to university without the need for A Levels. In fact, this course boasts the following:
- Meets uni entry requirements – Our Access to HE Diploma is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification that is widely regarded by most universities as an alternative to A Levels
- Equivalent to 3 A Levels – Not only is our Access course an alternative to A Levels, but it is also the equivalent to 3 A Levels! So, you can study Access to Higher Education courses instead of A Levels
- University preparation – Our Health Professionals course is designed to prepare adults for a healthcare-related degree as it offers a blend of academic learning and study skills
- 100% online learning – There’s no need to step back into a classroom to study this qualification as it is delivered entirely online! So, you can study from the comfort of your own home. You just need a laptop and a stable internet connection
- Individual Learning Plan – You will be issued with an Individual Learning Plan, which outlines the submission deadlines of your assignments, helping you stay on track
- No exams – One of the best things about Access courses is that you can achieve the qualification without having to take an exam! The course is entirely assignment based
- Get uni ready in less than a year – You have two years to complete this course but it’s possible to finish it within 12 months!
During the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health Professionals), you will study a range of healthcare-related topics that will be the gateway towards a relevant degree, such as physiotherapy. From the nervous system and muscular structure of the human body to the skeletal system and cell biology, you will learn essential topics that will prepare you for a physiotherapy degree.
Start Learning Towards a Physiotherapy Career
If you’re excited by the thought of providing physiotherapy types of treatment to people who need it the most, then get your career started! Our Access to Higher Education Diploma will get you ready for a physiotherapy degree, so what are you waiting for? Call our Course Specialists on 01202 006 464 to get the wheels in motion! You can also contact us online or click below to discover more.
