Thanks to medical advances and the growing interest in healthy habits, more and more men and women are reaching old age with an active attitude.
With age, a series of physiological and musculoskeletal changes occur in people that can affect mobility and autonomy due to a decrease in muscle mass, loss of bone density or joint stiffness. In these cases, physiotherapy plays an essential role to counteract these effects, through the application of specific exercises, mobilization techniques and stretches adapted to the needs of each person.
However, as the director of the Department of Physiotherapy at UIC Barcelona, ??Daniel Romero, points out: “As health professionals, physiotherapists not only limit ourselves to treating muscular, neurological or mobility problems, but we contribute to the comprehensive well-being of people. through a holistic approach, also taking into account the mental and emotional health of patients. In that sense, physiotherapy has become a fundamental pillar in the comprehensive care of people.”
Over the last few years, people have become more aware of the importance of taking care of themselves, and this has led them to seek healthy lifestyle habits and seek help from professionals to maintain a good state of physical and mental health. Some of these services have experienced a notable increase in demand, such as physiotherapy. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in Spain the number of members in Physiotherapy in 2022 was 66,178, and it became the fourth largest health profession after Nursing (336,321), Medicine (292,413) and Pharmacy (79,288). ).
Mainly associated with musculoskeletal rehabilitation, the activity of the physiotherapist has been extended to different habits to respond to the needs of society. For example, neurorehabilitation plays a crucial role in the rehabilitation of people with neuromuscular diseases, strokes or spinal cord injuries. Likewise, physiotherapy is also of great help in the geriatric setting, as it promotes active and healthy aging. The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted how respiratory physiotherapy can not only help in the rehabilitation of patients with lung or heart diseases. Women’s health and pediatric physiotherapy are two other areas from which a very important part of the population can be helped.
To respond to the high demand in each of these areas, “it is essential to train future physiotherapists in the different areas from which they will be able to practice, and for professionals to update their knowledge to adapt to the current needs of patients,” Romero comments. For this reason, universities have also adapted to offer undergraduate, master’s and postgraduate academic programs with content and facilities that help future professionals acquire the necessary skills. An example can be found at UIC Barcelona, ??where in addition to the degree, master’s degrees focused on pediatric physiotherapy, orthopedic manual physiotherapy or sports rehabilitation and readaptation are taught.
The connection between physical and mental well-being is an increasingly evident reality that leads people to seek care, advice and support not only to improve their physical health, but also to take care of their mental health. At this point, the physiotherapist “also contributes to the well-being of his patients beyond treating a specific symptomatology,” explains Daniel Romero. As a health professional, “the physiotherapist also acts as a promoter of healthy lifestyles and is an active agent in prevention,” he says. By recommending therapeutic exercise, relaxation and pain management, the physiotherapist also achieves benefits that positively impact people’s mental health, as they reduce the level of stress and improve their mood.
The use of new technologies and innovative equipment has also revolutionized treatment methods, has facilitated their personalization and has improved the active participation of patients in their own care. The Sant Cugat Campus of UIC Barcelona, ??where Physiotherapy studies are taught, houses cutting-edge facilities in this sense, such as the Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology Laboratory or the Comprehensive Center for Advanced Simulation, a 1,000 square meter space where students have the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice through simulated cases.
But the use of new treatment methods or the design of innovative solutions would not be possible without research, highlights the director, since “it allows us to continue advancing in knowledge and find new strategies for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation in different conditions.” areas of physiotherapy. For this reason, “it is important to encourage the participation of students in scientific activity during their training with the aim of awakening their interest in research,” concludes Romero.
