[Physiotherapy strategies in osteoporosis--recommendations for daily practice]

Physiotherapy in osteoporosis essentially takes the form of stimulatory therapy tailored to the findings and the pathomechanism. The choice of therapy and its dosage depend on the desired result (prevention, cure, rehabilitation). Physical therapy applied in osteoporosis includes electrical, thermic (hydrothermic, high frequency thermic, light thermic) and mechanical (massage, physiotherapy) stimuli, which can be applied regionally, locally or hoistically. To be efficient, a pain therapy requires that the various painful states be differentiated between: whereas, for example, in the case of acute pain physiotherapy fulfils the function of immediate therapy (normally rest and "mild" cold applications), in chronic pain it has to fulfil the function of an adaptive performance therapy of neuronal structures (formative-adaptive physiotherapy, thermic therapy improving trophism, direct current, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation/TENS). It is necessary and extremely important forday-to-day clinical practice that physiotherapy strategies that are tailored to each patient's needs and also economically justifiable be implemented. The article isintended to contribute to this.