Seek services from approved physical therapists — GPA

The public has been advised to patronise the services of approved physical therapists for the treatment of injury, illnesses and disability.

The President of the Ghana Physiotherapy Association (GPA), Mr Samuel Kweku Wie Otoo, who gave the advice, said there were a number of quack physiotherapists in the system who ended up causing harm to people who patronised their services. 

He also expressed worry over the situation where people mistook gymnasiums for physiotherapy centres.

Counselling

Mr Otoo was interacting with a group of senior citizens at the Help Age Ghana office at Osu in Accra to mark this year’s World Physiotherapy Day last Saturday. 

He stated that “physiotherapy and gymnastics are not the same” and explained that a physiotherapist was a specialist who helped people affected by injury, illness or disability through the application of movements and exercises, manual therapy, education and advice. 

“There are people who pose as physiotherapists when in fact they are not. It is pertinent, therefore, that those in need of physiotherapy must go to the right places in order to access proper health care, and I say this especially for the aged,” he stressed.

He said most people tended to seek help from untrained persons in caring for the aged and urged the public to always seek help from experts.

Mr Otoo said as people grew older they were likely to become sedentary and that increased their chances of attracting diseases, but added that a person could grow and still be healthy by engaging in exercises to remain active, since exercises could delay diseases such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension among others.

Physiotherapy Day 

The World Physiotherapy Day (WPD) is celebrated on September 8 every year. 

To mark the celebration, physical therapists across the world raise awareness of the crucial contributions the profession makes to keeping people well, mobile and independent. 

This year’s World Physiotherapy Day was on the theme: “Adding life to years”.

The GPA used the occasion to provide free services for the aged with the Help Age Ghana, a non-governmental organisation focused on helping the elderly.

The senior citizens who participated in the celebration received  one-on-one counselling from members of the GPA, after which they were taken through aerobic exercises, as soothing music played in the background. 

Donation

Members of the GPA also presented items worth GH¢8,500 to Help Age Ghana.

They included 10 wheelchairs, 10 Zimmer frames, 10 auxillary crutches, 10 elbow crutches, 10 quad canes and 30 pairs of hand grip exercisers.

The Administrator and Media Coordinator of HAG, Mrs Ethel Boakye Adjei, who received the donation, commended the GPA for the support and described the gesture as timely.

She also appealed to other corporate bodies to come to their aid. 

A senior citizen, Mr Mccarthy Ankrah, in a chat with the Daily Graphic, urged the GPA to consider conducting free aerobics for the elderly once every month.