Physical therapy is one of the channels of medicine towards wellness and function. It is not known by many, but the profession itself is rooted in treating crippling children of polio back in the day! But, what is it exactly and what do they do?
Physical therapy is a healthcare domain that helps individuals to keep moving. As movement experts, they are equipped on helping a person affected by health issues such as pain, diseases, and disorder to functioning back to normality or living their best lives with it. Booking a session is easy, by just any doctor’s referral under the law.
Clinics and departments in hospitals dominate the market. Patients with pain management, and treatment with neurological cases like stroke, spinal cord injury, and even Parkinson’s are their mainstay of expertise.
But with the pandemic causing a halt to mostly everything, many clinics closed, and hospitals reverted their focus to the surge of COVID-19 cases. With that, came an idea to multiple healthcare providers like physical therapists bright light to telemedicine.
Telehealth In A Nutshell
Telemedicine or telehealth is the use of technology especially communication channels to provide health care services, especially at the comfort of someone’s home or vicinity.
During the older times, it has been done. For example, calling in with your doctor for a quick check-up or follow up with your initial visit. Nowadays, with access to the internet, you can have a consult and treatment through your smartphone or laptop!
It was appealing, especially when everyone’s stuck in their homes and trying to find ways to resolve their health issues without going out. As the days went by, it went viral enough that numerous groups and pages of professionals were created steeped during the course of the early days of the pandemic.
Physios On Teletherapy
Likewise, physical therapists took this as an advantage to integrate themselves into the hybrid world of giving health services through teletherapy. Without physical contact with the patient, it brings forth the connection for people to access physical therapy.
One of the innovators in this movement is Kakayanan.org, a team of physiotherapists led by Josh Manoharan, a licensed physical therapist and fitness professional, pursuing equity in access to physical therapy for Filipinos of all walks of life.
Teletherapy itself has been found effective in several countries, like Canada and Australia. Their factors may have not been persuaded with the urgency to assess the patients from a worldwide circumstance, but they were highly aware to act upon the needs of its people and healthcare. Not only from geographical location but as well as convenience of care.
Taking this into consideration, they were also the main issues that we still face to this day in the country. Therefore, the team on Kakayanan saw this as a gateway not only because it was on the rise, but as well as to address the problems with accessibility in healthcare.
What Goes On in A Teletherapy Session
It’s seamless and easy to do! A walkthrough starts from booking a consultation to acquire a doctor’s referral to physical therapy treatment.
Book it through the website, and a preferred physician will permit any necessary measures for the therapist and any said condition diagnosed. Once that’s acquired, a session is booked and arranged.
A teletherapy session starts with an evaluation. The said first meeting with a physio can be through communication channels like Viber, Zoom, or Messenger! A video call is preferred, so they will have an overview of the problem and functional limitations. Depending on the prescription, teletherapy sessions usually last for about 6 to 12 sessions, and it only will depend on the patient or client’s availability to fulfill it.
What’s interesting is that every week, the patient or client will receive a home exercise program (HEP) that they can do at their own convenience. Home exercise programs are made by a therapist to promote self-efficiency and independence in function even after the care is done. They are either solely provided, or instructions with a carer are needed.
In Kakayanan, the team uses the application Physitrack to monitor a person’s progress, aside from the required meetings or sessions. Whether downloading the mobile app to monitor the progress or receiving the PDF format of the HEP, it is up to the patient or client’s prerogative towards their health.
Overall, it is like a physical visit monitored with the help of a designated physio towards optimal health and wellness. Given the best care possible without the hassle of being around other people amid the pandemic, why not try it today?
To know more about Kakayanan, head over to www.kakayanan.org
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! Get the latest news about the Philippine Entertainment industry and join the WIM Showbiz Facebook group! We also share our stories on Viber, join us!
