|
Rough Roads Can Lead to
Physiotherapist
As far as he knows, in this city of massage parlors,
Jean-Claude Dhuez is the only person who gives massages and
understands anatomy.
Dhuez’s International Physiotherapy Clinic at 8 Street 242, is
an oasis of serious professionalism. He holds a degree he earned
after a three-year course at the Physiotherapy School in Amiens,
France. He enrolled simply because he was an Amiens boy, later
discovering with pleasure that that the school has a very high
professional reputation as one of the best in France.
He came to Cambodia in 1991 to work for Handicap International,
teaching teachers for the Physiotherapy Technical School. He also
helped to develop the curriculum and set standards for the various
levels of competence for the Ministry of Health.
As a private practitioner, Dhuez offers consultation and
rehabilitation therapy for a range of different disorders. He
speaks French, English and Khmer.
A physiotherapist such as Dhuez helps people recover from traumas
to bones and joints after surgery, after breaks or sprains and
following sports injuries. He addresses muscle problems ranging
from back pain and sciatica through to arthritis and arthrosis.
Dhuez can even work out the kinks left by the torment of a trip
along Cambodia’s potholed highways.
Pediatric and orthopedic problems Dhuez may see include scoliosis,
club foot, infant bronchial congestion, hemiplegia and cerebral
palsy.
Physiotherapy also comes into play for neurological problems of
paralysis and hemiplegia in adults; respiratory complaints
including bronchiolitis, pneumonia and asthma; and post partum
rehabilitation after delivering a baby.
Additionally, Dhuez provides massage, stretching and remedial
gymnastics—he has a trampoline in his treatment room to help
patients develop agility and balance.
As any professional, Dhuez is careful to refer patients to
physicians for an evaluation if he is not sure he can help.
There is no requirement for a person to have a medical referral
before visiting him, but if he has doubts, Dhuez may well ask a
patient to visit a doctor for evaluation before returning.
Dhuez’s fee scale is dependent on the type of problem a patient
is experiencing, between $20 and $25 for the first visit and
between $12 and $20 for subsequent visits.
About half of the people who visit Dhuez are driven there,
literally, by back problems born of rough rides over rougher
roads. But a significant number of patients come to him because
they have been damaged by a massage.
“Those people [giving massages] don’t know anything about
anatomy and I warn people, if you are having a hard massage, a
Thai-style treatment in particular, and the masseur starts working
around your neck, you must say very directly that they either
should not touch that area or they should proceed very softly.
“Rough treatment around the neck is how they can do damage,
especially if someone has already had a neck injury, but even if
they haven’t,” he warns.
—Elizabeth Wright
|
