TOP 5 PHYSIOTHERAPY MYTHS BUSTED: World's largest Physiotherapy clinical research website, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database)

TOP 5 PHYSIOTHERAPY MYTHS BUSTED: World's largest Physiotherapy clinical research website, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database). 

If you thought you had to stretch before and after exercise to prevent injury, then you wouldn't be alone. But this is just one of a number of common practices that actually don't do anything beneficial for your health. The top five physiotherapy myths have been publicly busted by the world's largest physiotherapy clinical research website, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database). 

Based at the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, researchers have studied reports of more than 28,000 guidelines, trials and reviews.

And surprisingly what are commonly known as effective practises, are actually misconceptions and have no hard evidence to back them up.

'The most amazing things are so common place,' PEDro manager Anne Moseley told Daily Mail Australia.

'Any recommendations are really based on best guesses or marketing rather than hard evidence. 

'That's the thing with myths, the downside of following a myth is that you're wasting your time and money.'

TOP 5 PHYSIOTHERAPY MYTHS BUSTED

1. The type of mattress you sleep on prevents back pain

 'We couldn't find any well conducted trials to evaluate this,' said Anne Moseley from PEDro

2. Stretching prevents injury and muscle soreness in recreational runners

 'Stretching before and after a run makes no difference to injuries and muscle soreness'

3. You should wear a neck brace if you have a whiplash neck injury

 'If there is no fracture and just whiplash, research has found that wearing a brace is detrimental'

 4. Ultrasound for the recovery of ankle sprains

5. An incentive spirometer - a device which patients use to help them take deep breaths to prevent complications during upper abdominal surgery or cardiac surgery

'Unnecessary treatments which can cost a considerable amount'

Number one on the top list of physiotherapy myths is 'the type of mattress you sleep on prevents back pain'.

Well sorry to all those people who went out and bought an expensive mattress to ease their aching backs, but it's most likely not helping.

'This is a surprising one. We did thorough research of the physiotherapy database, including the best quality research done and we couldn't find any well conducted trials to evaluate this,' said Ms Moseley.

Number two on the list is 'stretching prevents injury and muscle soreness in recreational runners'. 

'Really well conducted research shows stretching before and after a run makes no difference to injuries and muscle soreness.

'There is high quality research that there are other things you can do - agility training, co-ordination training, active warm ups, exercise related to the sport.

'There's a lot of myths that just seem common sense and are common for people, because it's usually something to do with your everyday life.'

'When people get used to it, they relate to it and with myths it's hard to change what happens in practice,' said Ms Moseley. 

Number three is 'you should wear a neck brace if you have a whiplash neck injury'.

Just like Aussie model Miranda Kerr who was recently seen wearing a neck brace after a car accident she had in Los Angeles, people often believe this is the way to heal their body quicker, but in fact that's not the case.

Anne Mosley says for those who suffer spinal fractures at accidents, it is completely necessary, but if there is no fracture and just whiplash, research has found that wearing a brace is detrimental.

'The best treatments are to stay active and use graded activity, to increase the amount of activity.

'Wearing a collar contradicts that.'

Four and five are based on the use of gadgets that people have to pay for, which can sometimes be expensive.

Ultrasound for the recovery of ankle sprains and an incentive spirometer - a device which patients use to help them take deep breaths to prevent complications during upper abdominal surgery or cardiac surgery -  are two unnecessary treatments which can cost a considerable amount. 

'Research shows an incentive spirometer doesn't change complication rates, and it happens in hospitals across Australia everyday.' 

Ms Moseley says most of these findings will be interesting to Australians and some will debate what have been labelled myths.

'I suppose the best way to debate this is to look at the research - it rigorously removes personal opinion based on hard numbers, research done well.'

'We really value the physiotherapist database, it provides high level evidence to support these claims and having treatment guided by research is a great way to make decision about health care.'

News Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2793547/the-five-biggest-physio-myths-busted-stretching-exercise-wearing-neck-brace-whiplash.html