This post was last updated on January 1st, 2021 at 06:18 pm
Physiotherapy Supplies - Planning
As a practising physiotherapist, access to high quality tape and orthopedic bracing supplies for your clinic will be a priority. Dunbar Medical is able to offer you an unrivalled collection of bracing products from prestigious brands such as BioSkin, Mueller Sports Medicine, McDavid and LP Support. However, we do understand that your budget is not unlimited. We would therefore like to suggest some guidelines you can use to choose physiotherapy supplies for your clinic that will give you “the most bang for your buck”.
How To Prioritize The Physiotherapy Supplies You Need
To identify the items you should place on your shopping list, we suggest you consider the following questions.
What Core Services Is Or Will Your Practice Be Offering?
The task of making up your shopping list will be easier if you approach it with a clear idea of the types of physiotherapy services you will need to provide.
Another important factor will be the types of clients you will have. If your physiotherapy practice will be focused on sport physiotherapy, the types of injuries you will likely encounter (and the supplies you will need) will be very different than if your practice will mainly be serving seniors, for example.
The types of injuries you will be treating in your practice & How This Influences The Physiotherapy Supplies You Will Need
If you are focusing on athletes from a particular sport, these injuries will likely fall into specific categories that are characteristic of that sport. Your physiotherapy supplies list will then reflect the items needed to treat those types of injuries. If, on the other hand, you will be serving members of the general public, you should think about the demographics of the surrounding community. What are the predominant age groups and the male/female ratio? This will inform the types of health care challengesyou will likely face, and the physiotherapy supplies you will then need.
Does your practice provide health care service in person or remotely (using Telehealth services, for example)?
The more services that you provide in person, the greater will be your need for PPE supplies like medical face masks, respirator masks, face shields and similar items. If you do use Telehealth services, you will need to think about supplies of computer equipment and software that you will need to use those services.
Is Your Practice A Multi Discplinary One Or Is It Focused Solely On Physiotherapy Services?
Your clinic may actually be a multi disciplinary practice, with physiotherapy being only one of the types of therapy on offer. If you will also be offering massage therapy in addition to physiotherapy, for example, this will clearly influence the supplies you will need for your clinic.
What Do You Expect To Be The Most Productive Services That Your Clinic Will Provide, And What Physiotherapy Supplies Will Those Services Require?
If your resources are limited, it makes sense to focus on the physiotherapy supplies that are most likely to generate sufficient revenue to pay for themselves. These are the supplies that should therefore be at the top of your physiotherapy supplies list.
We would also suggest that you try to identify the supplies that are reusable or that can be used in multiple types of procedure. The more potential applications to which you can apply any supplies, the greater will be their contribution to your clinic’s revenue.
Physiotherapy Supplies - Recommended Product Categories
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K Tape9 Products
Kinesiology tape (also called K Tape) is designed to promote healing from repetitive stress injuries. This includes injuries from sporting, work or recreational activities. It works by gently lifting the skin over the injured area as the patient performs his or her regular daily movements. By facilitating the flow of blood and/or lymphatic fluids through the area, k tape accelerates healing and reduces the pain of the injury. You can find more information on this type of taping therapy in our blog post on how k taping works. As you browse the selection of k tape products below, you will notice that it includes two types of tape. There are regular tape rolls as well as pre cut tape segments designed for specific areas of the body. In general, you can use the regular k tape rolls on any area of the body on which you have experienced an injury. However, they will require somewhat more skill and knowledge for successful application. On the other hand, you can use pre cuts only on specific body parts. However, you will find them easier to apply than the standard rolls. When applying k tape, be careful ensure that the area to which you intend to apply it is clean and dry. You should also avoid using any lotions, creams or oils on the area before application. Additionally, if body hair is present on the area, it is best to shave it before application. Please bear these comments in mind as you browse our selection of k tape products below. -
Cohesive Tapes & Bandages7 Products
Cohesive Tapes & Bandages (also called self adhesive) are designed to adhere only to each other. Specifically (and in contrast to adhesive tapes and bandages), they do not adhere to skin, hair or other parts of the body. As a result, you can wrap a self adhesive bandage or tape around a limb for support without having to worry about experiencing pain and/or hair loss when you remove it. Cohesive bandages have three key variables in their construction - the base material, an elastic yarn and a cohesive technology. The base material used can be fabric or non woven. The elastic yarn can be either linear or knitted. The quality of elastic yarn will affect the consistency of compression that the bandage provides. Another key determinant of performance is the quality of cohesive used. The better this technology, the more able the bandage will be to remain in place for an extended period. -
Braces and Supports222 Products
At Dunbar Medical, we can offer you a comprehensive selection of orthopedic braces and supports. Orthopedic braces and supports provide protection for injured joints or soft tissues. They will also help to realign and correct the relative positions of bones and/or soft tissues (ligaments, tendons, muscles, etc) during the recovery period. This ensures a complete return to full health and normal use of the injured body part. In general, braces can be classified based on their fit, purpose and the body part for which they are designed. Where fit is concerned, a brace may be either off the shelf or custom made. Off the shelf supports come in predetermined sizes (small, medium, etc), are ready to use right after purchase and are generally less expensive than custom made designs. The braces and supports on this site are all of the off the shelf variety. Custom made braces are designed for specific individuals. Before construction of the brace, a manufacturer representative or orthopedic technician will carry out a fitting procedure on the patient. Orthopedic braces and supports may be designed for prophylactic, functional or rehabilitative purposes. Prophylactic braces are designed to prevent injury and so are used primarily by healthy individuals. Rehabilitative braces are designed for use following a surgical procedure and will immobilize the injured body part to promote proper healing. Functional supports provide support and protection for existing injuries. Finally, braces and supports are each designed for a specific body part such as the knee, elbow, ankle, wrist, back, shoulder, etc. The bone and soft tissue structures in each area of the body are very different and the braces and supports for each area need to be designed to address the support and stabilization needs of each specific body part. Pregnant women also experience specific stresses in the hips and pelvic area, and maternity braces and supports are designed to address the specific needs that may arise during maternity. -
Adhesive Tapes19 Products
Adhesive tapes fall into two primary categories - elastic and non elastic. Non elastic adhesive tapes usually come in cotton and/or polyester and have a zinc oxide adhesive mass backing. Due to their lack of elastic properties, they are less suited than elastic tapes on highly contoured parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders. The most common color is white and the tape is usually available in widths of 0.5 , 1, 1.5 , 2 and 3 inches and in lengths of 10 to 15 yards. Elastic adhesive tapes (known as stretch tapes) come in 1,2,3 and 4 inch widths by 5 yard lengths. They are usually manufactured from twisted cotton with an adhesive backing. These tapes have the advantage of being able to conform to highly contoured areas of the body while providing the same support as their non elastic counterparts. The number of longitudinal and vertical fibres per inch in the backing of an adhesive tape is an important factor in the assessment of its overall quality. Speaking generally, a high quality tape will have 85 or more longitudinal fibres and 65 or more vertical fibres per inch. A high quality tape will also possess a greater amount of adhesive backing and an even and fluid tension during removal from the roll.
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Paraffin Baths1 Product
Paraffin Baths are soothing treatments involving the submersion of the feet in a warm mixture of paraffin (a petroleum based wax) and mineral oil. They are treatments for conditions ranging from arthritis pain to fibromyalgia and have the advantages of being fast acting and drug free. They act by increasing blood flow, relaxing muscles and reducing joint stiffness. Paraffin baths are a versatile form of therapy that you can use in spas, clinics or in the home. The baths are available with several optional features. You can choose to leave some models permanently powered on (so that you can use them at any time with no requirement for a warm up period). In addition, some models come with variable temperature settings. These can be shared by individuals with different temperature preferences. However, these features all come with a cost. As a result, you will need to perform a cost benefit analysis to determine if they would be a worthwhile investment for you. -
Moist Heat Packs5 Products
Moist Heat Packs allow you to utilize the benefits of most heat therapy at home, the clinic or the sports field. Compared to dry heat, most heat provides deeper penetration of heat and greater pain relief. Besides heat packs, other commonly used sources of moist heat include hot water bottles, hot baths or tubs, saunas and steamed towels. Other benefits of moist heat include the fact that it does not dehydrate the skin and in fact actually increases tissue elasticity. This is of particular importance to aging patients or those with dry or sensitive skin. Some moist heat packs, particularly the ones for home use, are for use anywhere you need pain relief. However, most of the ones for professional use come in a shape and size that is optimal for a particular area of the body such as the neck or back. When choosing among these options, you should carefully consider the types of injuries you most frequently encounter at your practice in order to ensure that your investment will be of greatest benefit to your patients. -
Hot & Cold Compresses5 Products
Hot & Cold Compresses are a convenient tool for treating both acute and chronic injuries. Sprains, strains, contusions and other injuries experienced at home or on the playing field can be effectively treated by cold packs activated in just a few minutes. They are simple to use and you can employ them just as effectively at home as can your therapist at the clinic or on the court. You can also easily treat chronic injuries at home using a hot pack that you have left in the microwave for a minute or two. You can take Hot & Cold Compresses along with you on business or vacation trips to help manage ongoing injuries. It's also useful to keep a few of them at home to deal with insect stings or bites, falls or the other accidents that will inevitably take place. Compresses that can serve a dual purpose (functioning as both hot and cold treatments) offer additional versatility in managing various types of conditions. -
Compression Wear44 Products
Compression wear is designed to provide compression and support to address certain medical conditions or to improve athletic performance. Compression wear can be designed to mitigate medical conditions that involve inadequate blood circulation. This type of wear usually worn on the feet or legs and applies different levels compression along the limb, with the compression being greater at the lower levels i.e. near the ankles. The intention is to counter the effect of gravity and push the blood (and lymphatic fluids) back to the heart through veins that may have become compromised over time. This type of compression is known as graduated compression and it is usually present in socks, stockings and sleeves worn on the calf. Other compression wear is designed to stabilize and support specific joints and muscles to improve co-ordination and increase muscle force and endurance. This would include compression shorts, tops, gloves, tights, elbow and arm sleeves.
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Massage Creams & Ointments4 Products
Creams & ointments meet many needs in a typical physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic or other clinical practice involving manual therapy. The ideal massage cream needs to provide the glide property of an oil in order to give the therapist the freedom to apply deeper modalities when this is the appropriate choice. This would be important, for example, for a massage therapist performing longitudinal gliding therapy on a patient. At other times, the cream or ointment needs to possess the frictional property of a lotion. An example of this would be the application of transverse friction to tendon or ligament injuries in order to break down thickened scar tissue that may be causing pain to the patient. The selection of creams & ointments in this section will provide various choices as to the mix between glide and friction. The optimal choice will depend on the mix of techniques you prefer to apply in your practice. -
Exercise Rehabilitation134 Products
In recent years, exercise rehabilitation has gained increasing attention as a way to restore physical function and improve quality of life for patients suffering from a broad variety of injuries. The goals of this form of therapy can range from alleviating muscle weakness and dysfunction to reducing the risk of unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes. In addition to these physical benefits, exercise rehabilitation can be of significant benefit where mental function, quality of sleep, stress levels and even the overall psychological outlook are concerned. Exercise rehabilitation can be particularly beneficial in treating:- Chronic injuries such as long term back or knee pain.
- Injuries that are not responding to manual treatment, possibly due to muscle weakness or poor posture.
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Disinfectants & Cleaners13 Products
Disinfectants & Cleaners are an important line of defense against the spread of disease in your clinic. Together with table examination paper and medical examination gloves, they help to control the risk of spread between patients or from patients to your staff. The three main factors to bear in mind when choosing disinfectants & cleaners for your healthcare facility are:- What is the contact time of the disinfectant? Hopefully, the disinfectant will hopefully stay wet and in contact with any pathogens that may be present for a sufficiently long period to eliminate them. However, some disinfectants can dry before the pathogens are eliminated, leaving surfaces not fully disinfected. Hence, the shorter the contact time of the disinfectant, the better.
- Will it be damaging to the equipment present in your clinic? The aim here will be to avoid a disinfectant that may damage the surfaces of your equipment.
- How compatible will it be with the cleaning tools you use? Some cleaning tools can actually reduce the effectiveness of a disinfectant. For example, cottons and microfibers can bind with certain types of disinfectants and inhibit their release onto the surface that you are cleaning.
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Analgesics13 Products
Pain relief from analgesics will be valuable to patients after undergoing intense sessions of manual therapy. The key benefit will be the ability of the patient to undergo more frequent sessions and to gain additional therapeutic benefits. However, analgesics will also be of benefit to patients who are experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness after exercise or intense physical activity.Patients experiencing repetitive stress injuries such as tennis elbow or lower back pain will also appreciate the pain relief these products provide. There are also several medical conditions like arthritis that result in chronic pain. Patients suffering from these ailments will derive considerable quality of life improvements from the pain relief offered by the products in this section. Analgesics that are plant based and for topical use only also present less health risks than other over the counter medications. This applies to most of the products in this section.
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UltraSound Gels5 Products
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Medical Examination Gloves6 Products
Medical Examination Gloves are important supplies for your clinic in helping to protect both your staff and your patients from communicable illnesses. To help you make your selection in this section, we have included some pointers below:- Which material should I choose? - Latex, nitrile & vinyl are the most popular choices. However, they each have strengths and drawbacks of which you should be aware. Latex gloves offer good barrier protection and are also close fitting and flexible. However, the prevalence of latex allergies has seen a decrease in the popularity of this material in recent years. Nitrile, a synthetic rubber like material, has become increasingly popular as it offers almost the same strength and flexibility as latex without the allergic risks. Vinyl is an economic choice but offers less sensitivity and protection than either latex or nitrile.
- How thick should the gloves be? Gloves that are 3-4 thousandths of an inch thick are adequate for most medical and dental situations. Thicker gloves provide better protection, but at the cost of sensitivity and dexterity.
- How important is it to choose powdered medical examination gloves? Traditionally, powdered gloves were easier to put on. However, modern designs include a feature known as chlorination that facilitates putting the gloves on without need for powdering. There is little or no need for powdered gloves these days.
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Examination Table Paper1 Product
Examination table paper supplies are an important way for you to reduce the spread of communicable illnesses among patients visiting your medical facility. The paper should act as a barrier to prevent the spread of infection. Some of the features that you should probably look for in choosing your table paper are:- The paper should be made from a high quality pulp. This will ensure its strength and reduce the risk of tears appearing as the patient changes position on the table.
- The design of the paper should be such as to increase its strength, absorbency, softness (for patient comfort) and quietness.
- The design of the paper should be such as to resist water or fluids soaking through. This will ensure added protection for patients.
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Electrodes3 Products
Electrodes are central to all branches of electrotherapy. Their role is to facilitate the transmission of electric signals into the body. They do this by achieving a sound electrical contact between the patient's skin and the device that is generating the electrical signal (TENS, ultrasound unit, etc). In the broadest sense, medical practitioners use electrodes in four branches of electrotherapy - ECG, EEG, defibrillation and blood gas measurement. You can also classify them into four broad design categories - reusable disc, saline based, disposable and headband electrodes. Probably the most important factor in choosing the correct electrode is size. The correct size in any particular case depends on the area of the body that will be treated. The main objective will be to make good electrical contact throughout the surface of the electrode. You may find that a smaller electrode works better on more contoured body areas. The shape of the electrode can also be an important factor in ensuring good electrical contact.
