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PHYSIOTHERAPY
Question:—What treatment is available at the Physiotherapy Clinic
for school children?
Answer:—The Physiotherapy Clinic is conducted under the general medical
direction of Mr. A. M. A. Moore, F.R.C.S., Orthopaedic Surgeon.
Your Senior Physiotherapist has been severely handicapped throughout the
year by shortage of staff, often indeed, carrying on single-handed as best he could,
but the position is now, fortunately, greatly improved.
Much new equipment has been purchased and the department now compares
not unfavourably with that of the best hospitals.
Children, of course, only form a fraction, though an important fraction, of
the patients treated. Many attend for courses of artificial sunlight treatment.
There is no doubt, especially during the
winter months, that this is of great value
to those who may be run down after such
debilitating diseases as Measles and
Whooping Cough. It is found, too, that
the treatment, where necessary, of socalled
"flat feet" by exercises and wedges
is greatly helped by artificial sunlight.
Remedial exercises to tone up the
muscles are given not only for "flat feet" but for defects of posture, generally
such as round or drooping shoulders.
An important, perhaps the most important, part of the treatment of asthma
consists in graduated breathing exercises and training in relaxation, and these
have been given with benefit to selected cases.
Apart from these routine types of treatment many other individual children
have been treated in one way or another for such conditions as old fractures,
stiff necks, bow legs, knock-knees and infantile paralysis.
In June special sessions were started for those children who suffer from various
degrees of spastic paralysis. Most of these children attend the Physically Handicapped
Section of Faircross Special School and therefore two sessions a week were
arranged at the school and special apparatus installed. Those of you who know
how bright and brave such crippled children usually are will be especially pleased
to know that a great deal can and is being done to help them both physically and
psychologically. Not only do the exercises in relaxation and movement, and the
ingenious apparatus and games improve their physical condition but the special
encouragement and attention which they get give them renewed courage and
interest in supporting their disablement.
Nine such cases have received treatment during the year.
PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC
Total Number of U.V.L. treatments
given 3,478
Total Number of other treatments
given 4,941
(i.e. Electrical, Massage,
Plaster, Remedial Exercises).
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