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Since he began at Naga in September 2007, Jean-Marc has treated a wide variety of aliments and injuries.“I treat everything from back problems and lumbago to hemiplegia [a paralysis affecting one side of the body usually caused by a brain lesion,” he says. “I also frequently treat chest conditions, such as bronchitis, in babies.”

Having worked for the French national soccer team from 1993 to 2000, Jean-Marc has had ample experience in treating sport injuries. He is also a licensed osteopath. He says that the combination of physiotherapy and osteopathy has opened up new possibilities in his treatment of patients. “I find osteopathy complementary to physiotherapy,” he says. “While physiotherapy involves working on movement, osteopathy is more about spine alignment. In my mind I always think both like a physiotherapist and an osteopath,” he adds. “If a patient comes in with a sore ankle but also has back problems, I will look at both to see if there are any possible connections between the two.” He is open to new technology. “I occasionally use small electrotherapy treatment to reduce pain before I begin working on the patient with my hands.”

International Physiotherapy Clinic

Jean-Claude Dhuez first came in contact with physiotherapy while competing as a high-level rower in France and needed some treatment. This encounter provided him with the impetus to pursue a career in physiotherapy rather than teaching, as he had previously intended. Following his passion for the profession, as well as appetite for adventure, Jean-Claude arrived in Cambodia in 1991 as a volunteer for Handicap International to help set up the National Rehabilitation Centre.In 1997 Jean-Claude he opened the first international physiotherapy clinic in Phnom Penh.

“The most common problems that I treat are back and joint problems such as arthritis, inflammation and sports injuries,” says Jean-Claude. “Most of my treatment relies on massage therapy to relax the muscles and prepare the body for further treatment and the manipulation of joints in order to rebalance the body.” He is keen to stress that his treatments are always gentle and never forced.

Osteopathy and Acupuncture

Incorporating elements of osteopathy in his treatment, Jean-Claude uses a combination of treatment techniques that are predicated on the specific needs of a particular patient.“I often incorporate foot and ear reflexology in my treatment to stimulate the reflex zones located on the foot and ear by massage,” he says. Recently he has  started using acupuncture as a method of pain relief as well as essential oils in massage therapy. “I make special aromatherapy blends for my patients to help with conditions such as inflammation, respiratory problems, muscle spasms and arthritis,” he says.

Since his arrival in 1991 Jean-Claude has helped to develop the curriculum for the Cambodian National Physiotherapy School. “The training in Cambodia is different to how physiotherapists are trained in European countries,” he explains. “Rather than giving an overall picture, the training in Cambodia focuses on the main types of pathology found in this country. Cambodian physiotherapists usually only specialise in a small number of areas.”

It is also an area of medicine that is yet to really catch on in Cambodia. Most of his Cambodian clients are either referred by an international doctor or come through word of mouth. “While I have more and more Cambodian patients, they still only represent a small percentage of the people I treat,” he says. “The field of physiotherapy is still very new in Cambodia.”

Jean-Claude Dhuez
International Physiotherapy Clinic
29B Street 288
Tel: 012 802 725
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Open Monday – Friday from 8.30am to 12.00pm and 2.00pm to 6.30pm
Treatment costs: US$30

Naga Clinic
11 Street 254
Tel: 011 811 175 / 023 211 300 (24 hours)
www.nagaclinic.com
Jean Marc Nicolai – Tel: 012 923 918
Suy Ravuth – Tel: 011 811 175
Open everyday 24 hours, treatment costs: US$20.