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 Physiotherapy is among the therapy areas that is trying to get a jump start. More than four decades ago the practice of physiotherapy focused on electrotherapy and hands-on treatment techniques. Now, we can see more and more companies trying to use the power of digital. Virtual reality has its foot in the door, with one company bringing to market a product that allows patients to put on a VR headset and undergo treatment from the comfort of their home. The immersive experience is specifically designed to engage patients in their treatment by framing regular physiotherapy exercises as humanly tasks, such as filling barrels with water.  In countries like Singapore, they have already started using robotics. It may sound like a futuristic movie, but it is the reality, and the first set of feedback has shown that patients did not feel a difference between a human being performing the massages on them or a robot.

 Before being sent to space, astronauts have regular meetings with a physiotherapist to treat and identify pre-existing conditions, improve posture and get the body in the best shape possible. This is similar to how a sportsperson would use the therapy to get ready.  Post-flight the goal is to optimize movement and restore the body’s functions. After the landing, the body’s systems are distressed and action should be taken right away. Physiotherapy is then used as management treatment involving a fitness routine meant to ameliorate the dizziness and enhance motor skills.

 The therapy stimulates nerve activity causing the body to release substances such as endorphins. By doing so, it creates a natural ‘pharmacy’ inside the body acting as a powerful agent against cancer symptoms. It has also helped decrease the number of painkillers, such as morphine, used by many patients. This in its own has its benefits since pain medication can increase risk of heart failure and cause addiction.  Just like many forms of alternative healing, acupuncture is rooted in Chinese medicine dating back to the Old Stone Age. It appears to have emerged as one of the earliest forms of alternative medicines. The philosophy dictates that there are thousands of points in the body which can be activated or awakened to stimulate healing, optimize functions and boost overall well-being. Currently, it is used to treat more than 800 diseases in clinics throughout the world.

 Among the health issues that can benefit from this therapy we can count Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A condition that causes pressure on the wrist’s nerve generating numbness, pain, tingling or weakness of the hand. It is considered to be one of the modern time diseases being associated with the workplace, and doing strenuous and repetitive activities, such as sitting in front of the computer. It is thought to be the most common neuropathy, with 3-6% of the population suffering from it around the world.  Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is decided depending on the severity of the disease, and it can vary from conservative treatment with medications or splints, to a more invasive type called corticosteroid injection (involving injections in the wrist’s tendon).Simultaneously with acupuncture’s growth in popularity, its applications across medical conditions have increased, and it has shown great promise in treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Still involving needles, but in this case in a less painful way.

 It has been widely debated whether the technique is actually effective or it has to do more with a person’s state of mind, similarly to a placebo. When referring to pain management, massage therapy has been gaining territory as a highly recommended non-invasive treatment option. And people everywhere are benefitting from it: four in 10 people suffering from chronic pain around the world are strongly behind it, stating that it makes them feel ‘very well’. This is remarkable considering the impact this often debilitating condition may have on people.  People with cancer make use of massage therapy to ameliorate various symptoms caused by the disease itself or the type of treatment. Not only by enhancing the person’s well-being, but also reducing fatigue, nausea and pain. Science now has opened the doors to countless opportunities to research massage therapy in various conditions, such as mental illnesses, Fibromyalgia, migraines or injuries. It is also an option many expectant mothers opt for during their pregnancies.