Physiotherapy Vs. Chiropractic Care – What You Need to Know

Overview

Whether you are dealing with chronic pain or trying to recover from an injury, you most likely came across physiotherapy and chiropractic care.

A superficial read on these two practices may trick you into believing they are the same thing. However, each practice has its own unique features.

In this article, we will briefly define physiotherapy and chiropractic care, then cover the similarities between the two. Finally, we will help you choose the best therapy for your specific condition.

What Is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a branch of medicine that helps patients restore or maintain their physical abilities.

By using a number of techniques, such as Dry needling, Shockwave, Laser therapy, Ultrasound, and Hydrotherapy, it can help with:

• Improving the general wellbeing of the patient

• Increasing mobility

• Enhancing musculoskeletal functionality

While there is a common misconception that physiotherapy is only useful for injury healing, thousands of athletes use these techniques to prevent any potential injuries. Setting up a workout routine and short/long term goals only to injure yourself is one of the most frustrating aspects of exercising. For this reason, preventive physiotherapy gained a lot of traction over the past few years.

Note that physiotherapy can be crucial for recovery while ensuring your injury will not have any long-lasting complications when you heal.

What Is Chiropractic Care?

Unlike physiotherapy, chiropractic care is part of complementary medicine. This practice stems from the idea that the human body has the ability to heal itself but needs proper stimulation.

Your therapist will use hands-on manipulations to relieve muscle tension and realign your joints. Eventually, this can help with chronic pain and similar conditions.

In a 2012 systemic review of the literature, scientists concluded that using instruments during chiropractic care can help patients with musculoskeletal injuries.

Chiropractic care helps with pain that affects the following structures:

• Muscles

• Bones

• Connective tissues

• Ligaments

• Tendons

• Cartilage

Most likely, your therapist will focus on spinal alignment and manual manipulation of areas depending on your chief complaint.

Key Similarities

Physiotherapy and chiropractic care share some features, including:

• Both focus on exercises to improve range of motion and strength.

• Therapists must pass a licensing examination in order to practice.

• Both may use cryotherapy, thermotherapy, or electrical stimulations.

• Both employ non-surgical techniques to aid with movements.

Make sure to ask for the credentials of your therapist to be certain that they underwent the proper training for this type of practice.

Which One To Choose?

To put it simply, this decision takes into consideration many variables, including your own desire and your doctor’s recommendations.

Another variable is your condition. For instance, if you have a spine injury, sciatica, or neck pain, a chiropractor may be more appropriate in this situation.

Troubles in the extremities, such as joint pain, sports injuries, or post-surgical pain, may benefit more from physiotherapy. Your therapist will prescribe treatments and exercises to relieve your pain and improve your range of motion.

Some individuals may get tempted to try these exercises on their own. However, there are some strict indications and contraindications to each exercise. In other words, performing the wrong exercise, the wrong way can be devastating for your condition.

Before choosing one of these practices, it is best to speak with your primary care physician or orthopedic surgeon for tailored medical advice.

Takeaway message

Physiotherapy and chiropractic care are two practices that share a few similarities and differences.

Physiotherapy places emphasis on rehabilitating injuries with the help of stretches and exercises. Chiropractic care, on the other hand, uses manual manipulations to relieve symptoms and heal.

Despite the differences between physiotherapy and chiropractic care, you may benefit from receiving both treatments, especially if you have a complicated condition.

Choosing one therapeutic modality depends on your injury, medical history, and doctor’s recommendations.