‘Physiotherapy came in handy to help COVID-19 patients in India’

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – During the COVID-19 outbreak in India, physiotherapy -- the branch of rehabilitative medicine which focuses to improve or maintain physical abilities – came in handy to address lung capacities and induce breathing exercises to help infected patients to recover, claim many physiotherapists.

On eve of World Physiotherapy Day, which is being observed on Wednesday, renowned physiotherapist Dr. Ketan Bhatikar based in the western Indian state of Goa said the outbreak showed the importance of spirometry – that measures lung function, specifically the amount and speed of air that can be inhaled and exhaled.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, he said that physiotherapists played an important role during the COVID-19 crises in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of many hospitals at a time when health infrastructure had collapsed in many Indian cities.

“They (physiotherapists) have shown the importance of spirometry and lung capacities and how breathing exercise help," he said.

Describing the scope of physiotherapy as "endless", Bhatikar maintained that every profession needs perfectionists.

"It has become evidence-based practice now and it has many types of research as well. It is worldwide recognized today and in India, the awareness has increased much,” he said.

India’s top orthopedist Dr. Mandeep S Dhillon said the people are slowly understanding the role of the physiotherapist.

Dhillon, professor at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh expressed the need to increase the "education potential in the field", and to encourage paramedics.

"I think it is time, an average Indian should start giving importance to this field well," he said.

- Significant role in every field

The top doctor said that there are not many dividends for the profession in the country as compared to other countries.

"Once the level of physiotherapy goes up and it reaches that stage. But they have to specialize in several branches like sports physiotherapists etc.," he said.

Talking about the role of physiotherapy, Dr. Dhillon said that it plays a significant role in every field.

"Be it heart, neurology, and many other areas. But a physiotherapist should pick a good college so that he comes out with good training," he said.

He urged support for the physiotherapy profession understanding that it is an essential component of medical care delivery.

“There is a role of physiotherapy everywhere....it is a very essential part of medical care,” he added.

He said physiotherapy is also used to treat lifestyle problems as well.

"There is an occupational physiotherapist and physiotherapist. So, both have a role to play and if we talk about lifestyle, physiotherapists have a huge role be it neck pain, back pain. Here the people don't understand the profession properly. Physiotherapy can do a lot of work in lifestyle-related issues, they can do an intervention, they can do manipulation and massages,” he said.