The role of physiotherapy in managing patients with wounds.

The physiotherapist is a highly respected member of the wound-care team in the USA. While assisting in all aspects of wound care, including debridement and dressing selection and application, the physiotherapist also provides a unique function. The numerous physical agents, such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, hydrotherapy and heat all have benefits to offer the patient in contributing to healing. The background knowledge of biomechanics possessed by members of this discipline likewise enhances the services of the wound-care team. Physiotherapists recommend strategies to relieve or redistribute pressure for those confined to bed or wheelchair or for the ambulatory individual with an insensate foot. It is perceived that physiotherapists who remain uninvolved in wound care are a major untapped resource with great potential for promoting wound healing.