People in Castries are celebrating the news of a Japanese Physical Therapist at the Castries Health Centre. This April, persons in Castries will have direct access to a physical therapist following an initiative between the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The role of the Physical Therapist (also known as a Physiotherapist) is to improve mobility or restore mobility in patients who have diminished use of their limbs. Physical Therapists also work on keeping limbs moving and going before dysfunction occurs.
The treatment consists of exercises for strengthening and healing injuries or pain in all areas of the body, such as the back, the knees, hips and feet. A physical therapist will also work with patients to improve their balance and walking ability. The main goal is to treat physical problems of the human body. They mainly work with persons whose movements have been hampered by disease, sports, age and their environment. They may also refine a patient’s fitness levels because the body’s condition will affect its reaction to any of the conditions mentioned above.
A session with a physical therapist typically includes tests on range of motion, balance, co-ordination, posture and muscle performance, for a start. Afterwards, the patient will be prescribed a treatment plan, to be administered by the therapist. The volunteer will be dispatched under JICA’s Volunteer program as a Senior Volunteer. Her term will last for two years, during which time she will also visit other Health Centers in Castries and do house calls. However, she will be mainly attached to the Castries Health Centre for the duration of this time.
