Physiotherapy treatment for Brain Injury
What to expect in the Initial appointment?
The first appointment will involve a full assessment of the client’s brain injury and how it affects their daily life. We will discuss their needs, identify areas where physiotherapy may help, and agree on treatment goals.
The appointment will last approximately 60–70 minutes and will include:
- Discussing the client’s medical history and current difficulties.
- Assessing their movement, strength, balance, and mobility.
- Identifying areas where they need support.
- Agreeing on treatment goals.
- Explaining the proposed treatment plan.
- Answering any questions from the client, family members, or carers.
The assessment will help us understand the client’s physical abilities and the difficulties they experience following their brain injury.
This may include:
- Movement and mobility: Looking at how the client moves, changes position, stands, or walks, where appropriate.
- Muscle strength and stiffness: Checking for muscle weakness, tightness, or changes in muscle tone.
- Joint movement: Checking how easily the client can move their joints.
- Balance and posture: Assessing how well the client maintains their balance and sitting position.
- Daily activities: Understanding how the brain injury affects everyday tasks and independence.
- Positioning: Checking whether the client is comfortable and well supported in bed or in a chair.
The assessment findings will help us decide which treatments are most suitable for the client’s needs.
Follow up appointments:
Treatment
Following the initial assessment, physiotherapy sessions will focus on helping the client improve or maintain their movement and physical abilities.
Sessions will usually last 50–60 minutes and may include:
- Massage and hands-on treatment: To help reduce stiffness, improve comfort, and support movement.
- Stretching and joint movement: To help maintain flexibility and prevent joints from becoming stiff.
- Movement exercises: To encourage movement and improve physical ability.
- Strengthening exercises: To help improve muscle strength where possible.
- Balance and posture exercises: To improve stability and support better sitting or standing.
- Everyday activities: Practising movements such as turning in bed, sitting up, standing, or transferring between a bed and chair, where appropriate.
- Sensory stimulation: Using suitable techniques to encourage awareness and movement where needed.
Treatment will be adjusted to suit the client’s abilities, comfort, and progress.
Advice for Family and Carers
Where needed, advice and guidance will be provided to family members and carers to help them support the client safely at home.
This may include:
- Advice on safe moving and handling.
- Guidance on positioning and transfers.
- Simple exercises or activities to support movement.
- Advice on helping the client with everyday activities.
- Tips to improve comfort and encourage independence.
- Positioning and Wheelchair Support
Where required, we can also assess the client’s position in bed, in a chair, or in a wheelchair.
This may include:
- Checking that the client is sitting or lying comfortably.
- Assessing posture and body support.
- Identifying any problems with positioning.
- Providing advice on suitable positioning and support.
- Helping with a referral to Wheelchair Services if a wheelchair or specialist seating assessment is needed.
Overall Aim
The aim of physiotherapy is to help the client maintain or improve their movement, comfort, and independence following their brain injury. Treatment will be tailored to their individual needs, with goals reviewed and adjusted as needed.