Abu Dhabi, 08 September 2021:  Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), part of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, (SEHA) – the UAE’s largest healthcare network, joins the health community in observing World Physiotherapy Day, which takes place every year on September 8.

With the aim of raising awareness amongst the community, AHS has organized a series of virtual events for the employees in additional to the educational videos will be published on their account on social media highlighting the importance of physiotherapy as a treatment method and its ability to relieve patients from aches and pains that might result from habits like the lack of exercise and an active lifestyle. Since the community as a whole was encouraged to limit outdoor activity and exercise during the pandemic, associated body aches are now on the rise. 

The educational videos published by AHS include a set of useful exercises for the community teaching and educating them on deep breathing methods that are known to improve lung health, which is especially important for individuals who contracted the COVID-19 virus over the past two years. This initiative coincides with the forthcoming full return to the workplace, which is why AHS is also teaching the community simple exercises that can be done at one’s desk during working hours to ensure blood circulation and avoid neck and back issues.  

Physiotherapy can treat a wide variety of conditions across all age groups, like Maryam, a four-year old girl who visited Al Towayya Children's Specialty Center, presenting with developmental delays. Sivagurunathan Muruganantham, Physiotherapist said, “When we first saw the patient, she was unable to balance her head, sit, stand or walk. A treatment plan based on neurodevelopmental therapy was derived that aimed to improve the patient’s control and overall movement. Maryam attended three sessions per week for 3 years, working to improve her balance and transition between actions like sitting and standing. She can now stand up from the sitting position and sit up directly from a lying down position, walk, and climb stairs with minimal support. We continue to work towards bettering Maryam’s overall balance, so she can live a fully functional life.”

Another testimony to the success and relief physiotherapy can offer is a 43-year-old patient who was transferred from the orthopedic clinic to the physiotherapy clinic at Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center, another of AHS’ facilities. Simy Chacko, Physiotherapist said “She was complaining from extreme pain and difficulty to move and breathe, which were adversely affecting her daily life. After completing the necessary tests and assessing her overall condition, she was diagnosed with severe diaphragm cramping, after which a manual treatment plan was developed focusing on the areas where she was experiencing the most pain and immobility. The improvement seen and felt by the patient by end of her treatment journey was over 60%.”

Physiotherapy can also help champion people back from life-altering accidents. A 37-year-old had been in a road accident and had to undergo multiple lifesaving ortho and neuro surgeries. As part of the patient’s post-op care, he visited the physiotherapy clinic at Al Quaa Healthcare Center at the time, he was bound to his wheelchair unable to move. Pradeep Shankar, Physiotherapist, said: “After assessing the patient and consulting with the surgical team we developed a treatment plan tailored to the patient’s condition. He underwent tharee sessions a week three months, focusing on strengthening weaker muscles and neuromuscular coordination. After over 14 months of non-stop physiotherapy sessions, the patient has experienced incredible results. He is now able to walk and run without any support.” 

Physiotherapy services at health facilities across the SEHA network are part of an integrated health service system, where each individual case is consulted on and managed by a multi-disciplinary team of different specialties depending on the patient's condition and needs.

Outpatient physiotherapy treatment services for adults are offered at Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center, Baniyas and Al Falah Healthcare Center in Abu Dhabi. Al Yahar, Mezyad, Al Quaa Al Hili and Oud Al Touba Diagnostic & Screening Center in Al Ain. Al Mushrif Children’s Specialty Center and Al Towayya Children’s Specialty Center offer physiotherapy for children in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, respectively. Physiotherapy treatment is also offered for patients as part of SEHA’s home services.