Source: https://burnetttoday.com.au/news/2020/09/08/mission-to-dispel-physio-myths/?fbclid=IwAR1AevNT-mvVsrylnptXEDCvAdZiw8OS7tn3BwE5BMVIjfRUfJIqvi09g-A
Mission to dispel physio myths
by Jessica McGrath
Physiotherapists do much more than most people realise, but see four common problems in patients all around the world.
Kingaroy Vital Health Physiotherapist Diego Diehl is keen to dispel the myths around his profession this World Physiotherapy Day -Tuesday, 8 September.
“They still have that stigma that physiotherapists do massages, it’s one of the least things that are useful to do,” he said.
“People don’t know what to expect when they come for an appointment, they think they just come here for treatment and not realise they need to do an assessment and diagnosis.”
Mr Diehl has been practising in Kingaroy for more than two and a half years, but previously lived and worked in Brazil.
“The common problems you see here are no different to what you see in Brazil or in the city,” he said.
The four most common problems seen by physios are lower back pain, neck pain, migraines and musculoskeletal conditions such as pain at the knee, shoulder or ankle.
“We know from hundreds of research, up to 80 per cent of the population will have lower back pain at least once,” he said.
Mr Diehl said the Burnett region has a particularly high population of seniors.
“Balance problems are a major concern here, people at risk with falls and fractures, people becoming senile and doing exercise can benefit a lot in managment,” he said.
Due to the rate research has improved and increased the capacity within the physio profession, the general public seem to be still catching up.
“We know the areas of profession started to change pretty significantly after research started, the more knowledge you have about something the more specialised you become,” he said.
A lack of updated general knowledge about physios has resulted in a few myths.
“Posture isn’t that important as we believe, people always think that they are weak in the core muscles, but that is not the situation most of the time,” he said.
“Imaging is not as fundamental on assessment, although everyone wants to do an x-ray or MRI.”
The physiotherapist said the aforementioned four common problems were the things that often limit people to walk properly or play sports.
“This seems so simplistic, but these things are so common that we don’t realise how frequently they are and how they impair people,” Mr Diehl said.
“The only health condition that gives so much disability as those four is major depressive disorders.”
Research has revealed mental health factors can contribute to chest and neck pain.
A particular study focused on school children over four years to see which of the main types of posture were a predictor of neck or back pain.
“They have seen that no posture was a direct correlator of pushing someone to have neck pain but having depression was really poignant,” Mr Diehl said.
“It was nothing to do with the mechanics of the spine, so those mental health factors are important as well as weight, being active and sleeping well.
“Those basic things can be really important in keeping your health in shape.
“It’s far from being a posture or mechanical problem, although that’s what most people think.”
Mr Diehl is currently working on a video series focusing on myths and facts around physiotherapy.