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SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 1975
GROWING DEMAND FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY
AIM IS TO MAKE HANDICAPPED PATIENTS AS INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TREATED 69,255 PATIENTS IN 1974, COMPARED WITH 19,285 IN 1961 A 25 PER CENT INCREASE.
ATTENDANCES LAST YEAR TOTALLED 670,057, OR MORE THAN THREE TIMES THAT OF A DECADE AGO.
PHYSIOTHERAPY UNITS ARE ATTACHED TO THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL, THE KOWLOON HOSPITAL, THE KOWLCON REHABILITATION CENTRE, THE LAT CHI KOK HOSPITAL, THE WAN CHAI POLYCLINIC, THE TANG SHIU KIN HOSPITAL, AND THE DAVID TRENCH REHABILITATION CENTRE.
HYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN SOME ASSISTED HOSPITALS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
PHYSIOTHERAPY IS A METHOD BY WHICH A CURE IS ATTEMPTED THROUGH NATURAL PHYSICAL EXERCISE. THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST WAS ONCE CALLED BY MORE GENERAL TERM OF HASSEUR, OR MASSEUSE, BUT THIS HAS DEEN CHANGED TO THE MORE PRECISE TERM BECAUSE THE THERAPY IS NOW SCIENTIFIC, AND THERE IS MORE CONTROLLED EXERCISE TO IT FOR THE PATIENT THÂN MERELY BEING MASSAGED.
PRESENT TREATMENT HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE LINES OF THE GREATEST IMPROVEMENT IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME. INCREASING DEMAND HAS RAISED THE DEPARTMENT'S PHYSIOTHERAPY STAFF TO 79, HEADED BY MISS M.G. SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT PHYSIOTHERAPIST.
SIX OVERSEAS OFFICERS WENE RECRUITED LAST YEAR, AND 24 STUDENT PHYSIOTHERAPISTS ARE NOW IN A THREE-YEAR TRAINING COURSE AT THE HONG KONG PHYSIOTHERAPY TRAINING SCHOOL, WHICH OPENED IN 1960.
PATIENTS COMMONLY REQUIRING PHYSIOTHERAPY INCLUDE VICTIMS OF TRAUMA, FRACTURES, STROKES, ARTHRITIS, SPINAL SPONDYLOSIS AND CHEST DISEASES. CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD BRAIN DAMAGE ARE ALSO AMONG THOSE RECEIVING TREATMENT.
MISS SMITH SAYS THERE IS A GROWING DEMAND FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY BECAUSE AN EARLY RETURN TO NORMAL PHYSICAL CONDITION CONTRIBUTES TO A SPEEDIER TURNOVER IN HOSPITAL BEDS. MAXIMUM RECOVERY MEANS THAT A PATIENT CAN RESUME HIS OCCUPATION WITHOUT A LENGTHY AND NON-PRODUCTIVE CONVALESCENCE, A FACTOR OF CONSIDERABLE SIGNIFICANCE IN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS WHEN THE VICTIM IS THE BREADWINNER.
/+NOT ALL PATIENTS ....