RAK Hospital offers free screening for spinal disorders

Month-long awareness drive comes as part of World Physical Therapy Day

In an effort to create awareness on ways to correct spinal disorders, a leading hospital has launched free screening for residents until the end of September.
To mark the World Physical Therapy Day - which falls on Sept.8 every year - the Rehabilitation Centre at the RAK Hospital is offering free intensive screening on back strength and gait analysis.
Dr Jean Marc Gauer, CEO and Head of Surgery at RAK Hospital, said that physiotherapy can serve as an effective alternative to surgical procedures.
According to Dr Gauer, young children, adults and the elderly can overcome various physical impairments and deformities through physical therapy. It is also a particularly useful tool to correct any gait abnormality, such as being flat footed and balance disorders, as well as help rectify injuries caused by poor posture and a sedentary lifestyle.
"It is really impressive how far physical therapy treatments have come. From hydrotherapy to electrical stimulation to ultrasound to hot and cold applications, people now have a wide variety to choose from," said Dr Gauer,
"It is the most conservative, yet a practical option for people facing mobility problems since it addresses the core issue and helps build strength at a lower cost. Whether it is back and neck pain or stiffness in legs and arms or immobility after a stroke, or sports-related muscle and bone disorders, physical therapy can go a long way in correcting the problem.
"Moreover, it can even help manage ailments such as diabetes, heart and lung diseases. In diabetes, for example, certain tailored therapeutic exercises can actually help control blood sugar," added Dr Gauer.
Dr Raza Siddiqui, CEO, Arabian Healthcare Group and Executive Director, RAK Hospital said: "This complimentary screening can serve as a reminder for us that like other diseases, we need to focus on our physical abnormalities and take corrective measures before they get much worse.
"At the RAK Rehabilitation Centre we offer a comprehensive programme including treatments for reducing back and neck muscle pain, spine strengthening through aquatic therapy, provide a virtual walking environment on a treadmill, check proper balance and offer analysis of gait pattern or human mobility in general, besides a number of individual therapies."
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