Grounds of aesthetic physical therapy: a review

Abstract

Aesthetic physical therapy (which in Portuguese has been renamed
“dermatho-functional”) has recently gotten more attention. In view of a
better definition of the area, this paper reviews related literature to list
pathologies that the physical therapist can treat – such as cellulitis, stretch
marks, obesity, lymphedema, burn care, hypertrophic scar and keloids,
flaccid skin and muscles, and local fat accumulation – as well as the
resources used for treating and preventing such pathologies, most of which
are common to the physical therapist practice. Since this is a new area,
research is still to be done in order to better ground the use of resources and
techniques by physiotherapists, thus allowing for further interaction of this
area to others, such as orthopedic or respiratory physical therapy.