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Health Services > Statewide & Community Health Services > QSCIS

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SIU Physiotherapy

What do physiotherapists do?

Along with other members of the Spinal Injuries Unit team, your physiotherapist will assist you to achieve your maximum physical potential by treating the problems that can arise following a spinal cord injury.

How can we help?

Depending on the nature of your injury, these problems may include:

  • Muscle weakness or paralysis
  • Pain
  • Reduced ability to breathe deeply and cough
  • Loss of mobility and balance
  • Loss of normal movement
  • Poor posture

    • Photo of patient doing physiotherapy


    While you are resting in bed…

    Your physiotherapist will:

  • Assess movement, muscle strength and feeling in your arms, legs and trunk.
  • Provide breathing exercises to keep your lungs healthy and free from infection.
  • Assist with exercises to prevent stiffness in joints and tightness in muscles.
  • Provide exercises to maintain the muscle strength that you have.
  • Help to minimise pain and its effects
  • Provide information and education to you and your relatives, partner and friends.

    • When you are up and about…

    Your physiotherapist will:

  • Continue strengthening and flexibility programs for your whole body. This may include treatments such as hydrotherapy (pool therapy).
  • Retrain balance and good posture
  • Teach basic skills such as turning and moving yourself around in bed and sitting yourself up.
  • Teach transfers (getting in and out of a wheelchair, bed, car, shower/bath, toilet etc.)
  • Teach wheelchair skills as necessary.
  • Advise and assist you to select appropriate equipment, for example, wheelchairs and pressure relieving cushions, exercise equipment.
  • Provide walking retraining if you have sufficient movement in your legs.
  • Provide education on skin care, safe use of equipment, and injury prevention.
  • Promote recreational activities such as swimming, sporting activities.
  • Assist you to make plans for your discharge home from hospital.

    • Physiotherapy Treatment Programs

    A physiotherapist is assigned to each person who is admitted to the Spinal Injuries Unit. We will make contact with you soon after your admission to the unit. Physiotherapy treatment programs are tailored to suit each individual. A program is formulated following a thorough assessment of your problems and needs. Planning for your discharge from the Spinal Injuries Unit begins very early in your rehabilitation program.

    If you are from Brisbane (or close by) your physiotherapist will accompany you and your Occupational Therapist on a visit to your home to assess your safety and mobility in this environment. If possible, we encourage you to spend weekends at home as soon as you (and your family / partner or friends) are able.

    Treatment programs are reviewed and changed regularly. You will be actively involved in decisions relating to your treatment program as we work towards achieving your goals. If you have questions about your treatment program, it is important that you ask.

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    This page last updated: January 2007
    Review date: January 2008