15/09/2025
( Long Post Alart 👇)
People used to think that physiotherapy treatment meant just doing massages. In those days, our seniors working in physiotherapy struggled a lot to bring about a change in society. Now at least, people no longer call physiotherapists “massage people.”
People today understand what physiotherapy treatment is, for which illnesses it is applied, and what problems lead a patient to seek physiotherapy. After treatment, when the patient recovers, they say, “Thank you, Doctor…”
Do you know when they say it?
1. When someone has a fracture and cannot lift either of their legs, the physiotherapist helps them — from learning to place their foot on the ground and walk with support, to finally walking without any support. Then the patient says, “Thank you, Doctor.”
2. When a person has a stroke and paralysis and is lying in bed, the physiotherapist teaches them how to get up from the bed and walk on their own. Then they say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
3. When a mother who has to carry her child all the time because of a congenital condition sees that her child can finally sit even a little on their own, the parents say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
4. When a patient who could not get up because of hip pain can finally return to their job, they express their appreciation and say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
5. When an elderly woman who cannot control urination while sneezing or coughing strengthens her pelvic muscles and regains control, she says, “Thank you, Doctor.”
6. When hockey or tennis players suffering from pain — tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow — can’t play and go to the physiotherapist, and after treatment get relief and can play again, they say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
7. When someone whose hands tremble due to neurological reasons can finally hold a glass of water without dropping it after physiotherapy, they say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
8. When a spinal cord–injured patient who cannot move their lower limbs at all can, after therapy, stand up for a short time using the strength of their arms from a wheelchair, they say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
9. When a spinal cord–injured athlete competing in a wheelchair marathon at the Paralympics wins a national medal, they say, “Thank you, Doctor.”
10. When a pregnant woman experiencing labor pain prepares herself for childbirth using a physioball and strengthens her pelvic muscles, she says, “Thank you, Doctor.”
We don’t need anything extra for ourselves. Just seeing a smile on our patient’s face makes our hearts happy. We truly feel proud to call ourselves physiotherapists.
According to the NCAHP (National Commission for Allied and Health Care Professions) Act, physiotherapists should write “Dr” before their name and “(PT)” at the end of their title — and that’s exactly what we do.
With the help of physical assessment, we can diagnose a case. Based on that, we prescribe exercise therapy or electrotherapy for the patient. Every time we see a patient, it takes at least 30 minutes to an hour. We work hard, but we love our work.
We follow our own laws and uphold our ethics. Even though we know the names of NSAIDs, we do not prescribe medicine to patients. We are happy. We are each a successful physiotherapist.
No single medical professional can ever say that a patient recovered solely because of their treatment. In every case, doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, and even the fourth-grade staff — everyone — contribute through their care. It is only because of the combined efforts of the whole team carrying out their respective duties that a patient recovers. This is what we physiotherapists believe.
Thank You.
✍️Dr Bineeta Borah (PT)
