New research has found a link between mental health condition onset and physical injury risk, including unintentional injuries like falls and traffic accidents, as well as those from self-harm and assault.
Carried out by the University of Michigan, the study analysed population-wide administrative data from almost five million people in New Zealand and Norway.
It was found that those with mental health conditions had an elevated risk of self-harm injuries and those arising from assault, as well as a significantly increased risk of unintentional injuries, with particularly strong links to those affecting the brain and head.
Off the back of these results, researchers are now calling for the integration of health care services, embedding psychoeducation about the injury risks into mental health treatment programmes so that opportunities can be identified to intervene in acute care encounters.
Commenting, lead author of the study Leah Richmond-Rakerd said: “These findings indicate that individuals with mental health conditions are vulnerable to a broad range of injuries. People with mental health conditions are an important and underrecognized population for injury prevention efforts.”
How can physio help with mental and physical health?
People experiencing both physical and mental health challenges may find physiotherapy particularly beneficial.
How physiotherapy helps physical health
Physio can help with physical health in a variety of ways, including:
- Improving strength, coordination, balance, mobility, flexibility and range of motion
- Improving chronic pain through manual therapy, specific exercises and stretching
- Postural improvements
- Increased independence
How physiotherapy helps mental health
- Stress and anxiety reduction through relaxation techniques and breathing exercises
- Increasing physical activity to tackle feelings of depression
- Boosting mood
- Building confidence
Book a physio session in Maidenhead
If you’d like to find out more about how physiotherapy can help you mentally and physically, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
