AsiaLIFE

Eastern philosophy meets western training in Phnom Penh’s latest source of healing and relief from muscle pain. Kate Liana explores further.

“The mind / body connection is crucial to understanding pain and treatment – you must look at a person holistically,” claims Dick van der Poel. A physiotherapist with 20 years experience in Switzerland van der Poel settled in Phnom Penh in 2008, opening a practice in June this year.

He has brought this holistic approach to his new venture.

“It’s not just about looking at someone’s shoulder and ignoring their lifestyle, physical habits, and ideas about health and fitness,” he says.  Van der Poel is one who believes in taking in the whole picture.

His philosophy is that during treatment the physiotherapist should seek to gain a deeper understanding of a patient’s history, lifestyle, and health goals so he can tailor an appropriate treatment.

When speaking with him, you get the sense that he is attuned to your body and physical state. His calm presence and professional manner put you at ease and make you feel like you are being healed inside and out.

At his practice, van der Poel offers general physiotherapy, manual therapy, sports injury rehabilitation and traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. The acupuncture treatments, rare in the city, offer a unique experience.

A full medical history is taken during the interview, and then a patient’s back, eyes, tongue and pulse are examined. Based on findings, Van der Poel determines along which energy channels to place the needles. These are painless, creating a mild tingling sensation through the arms and legs. You feel refreshed and energised. Acupuncture can also be used to target specific pain or trouble areas.

Van der Poel is not a masseur, something he is keen to stress.

Instead, he believes that muscles get tense and sore due to joint-related pain. For long-term relief patients must be trained to heal their own bodies. So he prescribes a mixture of exercises and treatments that will protect the body and prevent future injuries. Therapy consists of on-site exercise, massage, and electrical stimulation of muscles and joints.

Trained in the Netherlands, van der Poel received a Bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy, and has taken subsequent courses in sports therapy and manual therapy, which involves correcting the position of the joints and muscles, and adjustment and alignment of the spine. He has also trained in sports rehabilitation, massage, neurological therapy, and Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

A natural healer, van der Poel most enjoys working with people and helping them.

“There’s such diversity of bodies and physical behaviour, it’s fascinating and keeps my work interesting,” he says.

He has especially enjoyed learning behavioural variations in the different regions he’s worked in, in Europe and now in Southeast Asia.

“Everybody handles pain differently, and seeks or avoids treatment for a variety of reasons,” he says. “That differs between cultures, between men and women, and between young people and old.”

He first came to Cambodia with his brother in 2001, and vowed to return. “The people, the place were amazing, I couldn’t wait to get here,” he says.

His brother returned in 2003 and set up popular riverfront eateries El Mundo and Chill, Dick followed in 2008.

Having helped his brother establish the restaurants, he is now excited to begin practicing again.

Housed in a spacious, air-conditioned villa south of the Russian Market, his practice has equipment imported from Europe including specialised treatment beds, an ultrasound machine, and various exercise equipment. A giant rubber ball, popular in many exercise programmes is perfect for pregnant women, as it helps isolate the pelvic area and strengthen the lower back.

Treatments last between an hour and an hour and a half, and include a thorough screening of a patient’s health background. Physiotherapy costs US$30 a session, while acupuncture is US$40.

Physiotherapy Phnom Penh, 57 Street 123, Tel 092 485 593. Open every day 8am to 12 pm, 2pm to 6pm. Closed Wednesday.