SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1976
80,000 REGAIN STRENGTH THROUGH PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT
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PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AT GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS HAVE HELPED SOME 80,000 PATIENTS REGAIN THEIR NORMAL PHYSICAL STRENGTH DURING 1975 -- FOUR TIMES AS MANY AS IN 1961.
ATTENDANCES FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT LAST YEAR TOTALLED SOME 760,000 OR THREE TIMES THAT OF A DECADE AGO.
AS THE DEMAND FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY CONTINUES TO GROW, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS INCREASED ITS PHYSIOTHERAPY STAFF FROM 79 TO MORE THAN 100 THIS YEAR.
MOST OF THE PHYSIOTHERAPISTS ARE TRAINED LOCALLY, AT THE DEPARTMENT'S PHYSIOTHERAPY TRAINING SCHOOL AT QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, WHICH OPENED IN 1960.
FORTY-EIGHT STUDENTS PHYSIOTHERAPISTS ARE UNDERGOING A THREE- YEAR TRAINING COURSE. OF THESE, 14 WILL GRADUATE NEXT WEEK.
PHYSIOTHERAPY IS A METHOD BY WHICH A CURE IS ATTEMPTED THROUGH NATURAL PHYSICAL EXERCISE, PATIENTS COMMONLY REQUIRING PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT INCLUDE VICTIMS OF TRAUMA, FRACTURES, STROKES, ARTHRITIS, SPINAL SPONDYLOSIS, AND CHEST DISEASES. CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD BRAIN DAMAGE ALSO BENEFIT FROM SUCH TREATMENT.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID: PHYSIOTHERAPY PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE HEALTH SERVICE AS AN EARLY RETURN TO1 NORMAL PHYSICAL CONDITION CONTRIBUTES TO A SPEEDIER TURNOVER IN HOSPITAL BEDS.+
IT WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT A PATIENT COULD RESUME HIS OCCUPATION WITHOUT A LENGTHY AND NON-PRODUCTIVE CONVALESCENCE, HE SAID.
PHYSIOTHERAPY IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO VICTIMS OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, WHO VERY OFTEN ARE THE SOLE BREADWINNERS IN A FAMILY, HE ADDED.
PHYSIOTHERAPY FACILITIES ARE PROVIDED AT QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL, KOWLOON HOSPITAL, THE KOWLOON REHABILITATION CENTRE, THE WAN CHAI POLYCLINIC, TANG SHIU KIN HOSPITAL, PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AND THE DAVID TRENCH REHABILITATION CENTRE.
THERE IS A PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICE IN SOME GOVERNMENT ASSISTED HOSPITALS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
A GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR THE 14 STUDENT PHYSIOTHERAPISTS WILL BE HELD AT THE PHYSIOTHERAPY TRAINING SCHOOL AT BLOCK D1, QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL AT 3.30 P.M. ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4.
DR. G.H. CHOA, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, WILL ADDRESS THE GATHERING AND MRS. CHOA WILL PRESENT CERTIFICATES TO GRADUATES.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO SEND A REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER TO COVER THE CEREMONY.
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