The scope of physiotherapists has increased so much that they have become an integral part of patient care. There are several opportunities for those who have great communication skills, empathy for the ailing and belief in therapy, says Pooja Bajaj
Manual therapy is a hands-on, one on one treatment for musculoskeletal pain and disability delivered by physiotherapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths and osteopathic physician. This is the career where the therapist treats the soft tissues and muscles to relieve stress, rehabilitate and improve blood circulation. This kind of therapy is growing rapidly, but still, there are people who wants to become a manual therapist but afraid to take this as a full-time career due to the misconceptions attached to it. In order to make sure that this is the sector where you want to work, you should know a few things about this field.
DUTIES
The therapists help the individuals to improve their mobility, limit physical disabilities and prevent from injuries or disease. These specialists work closely with patients to restore and maintain their fitness for healthier and more active lifestyles. Therapists speaks with clients about the symptoms, their medical history and evaluate the details to find painful or tense areas of the body. After understanding the issue, they further manipulate the muscles/mobilise the joints to improve their postures with specific medically supervised exercise program, thus help them to achieve long lasting pain relief. Some of the eminent schools of thoughts followed in manual therapy are Maitland, Kalternborn, Mulligans, Mckenzie, Cyriax, Visceral mobilization, Craniosacral therapy and Myofascial release. All the schools have their own set of techniques. The type of techniques to be used depends upon the physical condition of the client and discretion of the therapist, which is in best interest of the client.
QUAlIFICATION
The educational requirement for being manual therapist varies across the globe. One can find these programmes in their Government or private institutions, as most of these courses require some hours of study to complete it. Here in, India after completing the school with science subjects including biology, one can apply for bachelor’s of physiotherapy programmes which includes basic manual therapy following which one can go for advanced specialisation in manual therapy as their post graduation programme or some short certification courses. The subjects of the programme includes anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and kinesiology, manual therapy, exercise physiology, exercise therapy, pathology and principles of management and ethics but not limited to.
QUAlITIES REQUIRED
Good communication skills: These skills are must for the manual therapist as they are required to listen carefully the needs of clients in order to understand what exactly they are looking to achieve through the treatment. The therapist should possess good speaking skills as well if working as a self-employed.
Good diagnostic skills & treatment approach: After listening to the complaints of the client, detailed evaluation is done to diagnose the condition and provide best possible approach to treat the condition.
Should know client handling & value of empathy: Therapists should give a positive experience to their clients. This is very much important for them to make clients feel comfortable to expand their client base.
Physical stamina: The therapists can sometime give many treatments to the clients and are required to stand on their feet throughout the day. They should have the good physical stamina to perform their duties and to bring a good experience to the clients.
Dexterity and physical strength: The therapist should be strong enough to exert pressure through various movements of the body while offering technique to the client. They should have enough physical strength to perform all the duties effectively.
SAlARY
In India, salary structure varies among Government and private sector at entry level which could be Rs25,000 toRs30,000 in the Government sector and Rs15,000-Rs20,000 in private sector and it may vary according to experience, whereas the physiotherapy professor earns Rs50,000 to Rs60,000 a month.
In UK, physiotherapist can expect the remuneration of £19,000 to £24,000 per annum. The experts in the profession could join sports teams or any of the club and can make yearly income of £26,000 - £38,000. Candidates can expand their career in teaching, research, private practice and combined role of teaching and practice. Candidates having excellent research skills can apply for in various pharmaceutical companies for research and development work.
Various companies located in the US, Canada, UK and European countries are always in search of excellent research candidates. Experienced therapists can take up lecturing and examining on both undergraduate and post-graduate physiotherapy programme. The profession has better scope in developed countries than India where physiotherapy is an effective method to cure various health issues.
SCOPE
As per the report of Bureau of labor Statistics US, employment in the industry is expected to grow by 36 per cent from 2012 to 2022. The growth in demand for such services will result in more openings for the experts. The profession offers specific benefits to the group of people and will lead the growth for the occupation like sports teams hire therapists to give their players relief from pain and injuries. More so, the number of such clinics has grown in the past few years and is most likely to increase in the coming years. However, demand for such services can be limited to the state of the economy.
WHERE TO STUDY
The writer is senior physiotherapist, AktivOrtho