I would dare to say that not everyone is able to define what a physiotherapist is, or what exactly they do. In fact, I wouldn't have been able to explain it either before entering this field.
What is the role of a physiotherapist?
The first thing to be clear about is that physiotherapy is a healthcare profession, as stated in the LOPS (Law 44/2003 on the Organization of Healthcare Professions) [1]. Based on this, the most formal way to explain the role of a physiotherapist could be that their main objective is to maximize the quality of life of individuals, within the areas of promotion, prevention, and treatment [1].
But what does this mean? It means that one should not only visit a physiotherapist when suffering from an injury, but their field of action starts earlier, much earlier than we might think. For example, when it is said, "you need to warm up before exercising," it is done to prevent a potential injury; they are providing you with tools so that you can take care of your body yourself.
Training in physiotherapy
There is a well-known expression that says, “to give an opinion, you must be informed,” and we can adapt this to physiotherapy by modifying it slightly and saying: “to take care of our body, we must be informed.” But not just any information will do; it must be information based on scientific evidence and validated by experts. And in the end, this is the role of a physiotherapist: to provide all the possible information so that people can take care of themselves (and train them to follow the guidelines properly) before an injury occurs, during the healing process, and at the time of returning to daily life activities.
So, within the sports field, why is the idea so widespread that “I go to the physiotherapist to lie on a table, get a massage, and be healed”? Years ago, visiting a physiotherapist might have involved this—lying down and being treated—but today, the idea is completely the opposite. Nowadays, passive treatments are not encouraged; active treatments are. “Movement heals,” and staying still is what causes us to stagnate (keeping in mind that there is a rest period different for each injury, which must be monitored by a professional).
On the other hand, it would be a mistake to think that once you leave the consultation, you will be fully recovered; any alteration has its background, its reason. That’s why it’s important to understand the etiology of the injury, as knowing why it occurred means we will know how to prevent it from happening again. Some causes can’t be avoided (accidents can always happen that can’t be predicted), but others can, and a physiotherapist has tools that allow them to assess the physical condition of athletes and detect potential issues that predispose to certain pathologies. Moreover, a person’s recovery largely depends on themselves, on their effort and commitment to follow the instructions received.
Conclusion: Physiotherapist yes
Having clarified all of this, I believe we are now able to answer the question in the title: “having a physiotherapist... for what?”. The fact of offering a physiotherapy service provides a great advantage for athletes, as being able to properly monitor them ensures the opportunity to maximize their physical capabilities while preventing future injuries. And if they still suffer from any condition, they will have the peace of mind knowing that they have a professional by their side ready to help and advise them so they can return to their routine as soon as possible.
Tania González
Physiotherapist ITW Sport Sports Program
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] https://www.fisioterapeutes.cat/ca/ciutadans/fisioterapia
