Physiotherapists treat complex injuries on the battlefield and at home
OTTAWA, Nov. 10, 2011 /CNW/ - Physiotherapists in the Canadian Forces
treat injured soldiers on the battlefield through to rehabilitation
back in Canada. An estimated 25 per cent of Canadian Forces personnel
access physiotherapy services each year, and many require long-term
rehabilitation programs.
"We're seeing unprecedented numbers of complex cases coming back from
Afghanistan," says Alice Aiken, PT, PhD, current director of the
Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, and
past-president of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Dr. Aiken
says, "It's taking the profession of physiotherapy to a new level of
care."
Physiotherapists work with soldiers who have lost limbs, suffered
mobility issues in combat, or experienced other problems that prevent
them from engaging in active service. Intricate treatment approaches
are needed for those soldiers who experience a combination of injuries.
"Many soldiers face life-altering, multi-traumatic injuries, and need to
spend months in comprehensive physical rehabilitation," says
Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Rowe, a physiotherapist with the Canadian
Forces Health Services Group and member of the Canadian Physiotherapy
Association. "Physiotherapy is crucial for these men and women in order
to restore their function."
The role of physiotherapy in the military is not new. For decades,
Canadian physiotherapists have helped the nation's soldiers — both on
the battlefield and at home. In fact, the profession of physiotherapy
was born of battle, evolving to address a need to restore injured
soldiers from the First World War to their pre-war health, or to help
integrate them into civilian life. The tradition continues today as
physiotherapists treat acute injuries, chronic conditions, and work
with soldiers in training to prevent physical damage and promote
overall health.
The ultimate goal for many injured soldiers is to return to full duty.
Canadian Forces physiotherapists assist with that process by
facilitating rehabilitation care at civilian rehabilitation centres and
by later transitioning soldiers back to their home base for the final
phases of their rehabilitation. They prescribe treatment programs and
exercises to get soldiers moving, helping to build muscle strength, and
provide ongoing care to restore function.
Civilian physiotherapists also provide necessary treatment through
rehabilitation centres that partner with the Canadian Forces to care
for injured soldiers closer to their own home communities.
Whether the physiotherapy they receive is delivered on base or off, one
thing most wounded soldiers have in common is their relatively young
age. This factor, coupled with the fact that most soldiers are in good
physical shape before an injury, is good news from a rehabilitative
standpoint.
"Early and intensive physiotherapy for injured soldiers is key," says
Rowe. "The potential for them to maximize their function is high,
provided the right treatment is prescribed, and adhered to, from the
outset."
