As a layman I was ignorant about a system of treatment which offers a vital therapeutic supplement to the medical profession which is integral to the treatment of most patients. I was also not aware that this magical input is the only kind of treatment which can mitigate the motor dysfunction of the body and restore optimal functions of the human body!
Yes, you guessed it right! I am referring to the science of Physiotherapy (“Physical Therapy”) about which I learnt perforce after I was afflicted with a highly debilitating auto-immune disorder having an exotic name of “Guillain-Barre Syndrome” (GBS)!
And there I was, almost crippled below hip, where a mere twitching of a foot was a luxury!
Active medication being over, but still unable to move my limbs, I was groping to get hold of a good and competent physiotherapist who can rehabilitate and restore me to my original condition or near about! I tried a few of the genre who were only trained on the mundane systems of muscle-strengthening regime, but could not provide the solution that my peculiar illness demanded. Unfortunately they were unaware of the idiosyncrasies of GBS and its aftermath, perhaps due to lack of such exposure.
But, as luck would have it, I stumbled upon a team of real professionals in this field, who specialized on custom-designed solutions to the need of the condition of each individual. It was a real godsend for me who was languishing for months on end without locomotion, having exhausted all kinds of leave with pay that any employer could provide!
Yes, they are none other than the “Pain & Stroke Rehab Center” at Chennai, India, run by a pair of real pros trained in the US for over 12 years! Mr. Ravi and Mr. Murali who run this outfit have successfully amalgamated their Indian upbringing and education with American work ethos by providing focused attention to each patient who turn to them for succor.
The unique feature of their system of approach to the treatment regime is the “functional” need of the individual, rather than the academic rigmarole.
Using their knowledge of biomechanics and the skills of exercise therapy, the team, formulates the exercise regimen, and made me do the movements “actively”, not passively through the therapist! This procedure, though difficult to the muscles which whined due to prolonged inactivity, helped in educating the brain as well as the muscles as to what they are there for!
They identified the unique needs of mine, both immediate and long term, and tailor-made the exercise sequence accordingly. The result was that I was able to successfully reduce the dependence on help from others to carry on with my everyday needs. I had first entered their clinic goose stepping with an elbow crutch on one hand and holding on to a helper with the other, but they egged me on to try movements which I assumed were beyond me. And very soon I graduated to single hand-cum-stick support and within a couple of months, could jettison the stick and start walking on my own! It was made possible by the singular contribution of Mr. Ravi. Each individual muscle that suffered dysfunction was identified and the attention was focused on strengthening it to obtain the vital movements.
And their clinic is professionally run, with a fixed time-slot to each patient, privacy to women, neat and clean environment, courteous service and a friendly atmosphere! The team functions as a healer, architect and psychoanalyst rolled into one, through biomechanical methods.
And here I am, full of confidence that I will get what my body really needs to enhance the quality of life by restoring the optimal functioning. And a horizontal zombie that I was a few months back, am embarking on a trip abroad, thanks to the efforts of Pain & Stroke Rehab Centre!
I wish them continued growth and sustained service to the needy!
