What are the important benefits of physiotherapy?

Dear Albom Mitch,

Physiotherapy is "hands-on" manual therapy, which may include massage and joint mobilisation and manipulation, as well as muscle stretching. For some conditions this treatment may mean you need fewer drugs or even none at all. Here are some conditions that may respond to treatment, plus a couple of links for you, one from Australia and one from Canada, describing still more benefits:

• Spinal pain and injuries (e.g. Disc prolapse)
• Headaches
• Sports injuries (e.g. Ligament tears)
• Fractures (e.g. Broken arm)
• Musculoskeletal problems (e.g. Carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Post-surgical rehabilitation (e.g. Following a knee replacement)
• Biomechanical problems (e.g. “flat feet”)
• Arthritic conditions (e.g. Osteoarthritis)
• Neurological disorders and diseases (e.g. Stroke)
• Cardiothoracic conditions (e.g. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders)
• Paediatric conditions (e.g. Cerebral palsy)

http://goodsportsphysio.com.au/view/lib/benefits-of-physiotherapy/31

http://physiovancouver.ca/view/lib/what-is-physiotherapy/30

I think the "important benefit" of physiotherapy is that it gets you as mobile as you used to be, or as mobile as you should be.  My wife had both knees replaced, she had physiotherapy, and followed the instructions of the therapist and can now do better than ever (bending, muscle strength etc.) Other people I have seen have had similar operations and have not done as the physiotherapist suggested, and are almost immobile.  Physiotherapy and listening to and following the instructions are necessary to return to normal.