Physical Therapy

What is a physical therapist?

 

Physical therapists are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions, illnesses, or injuries that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities as well as they would like in their daily lives.

 

Physical therapy has many specialties, including and definitely not limited to sports, wound care, cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurologic, orthopedics, and pediatrics.  Physical therapists practice in many settings, such as outpatient clinics, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, private homes, schools, hospices, industrial workplaces or other occupational environments, fitness centers and sports training facilities.

 

Bottom line, physical therapy aims to treat ailments, get you on track, and help you crush your wellness goals.

 

What exactly do physical therapists do?

 

Physical therapists are ‘movement experts’ and work to restore a patient’s movement and function.  Many people are familiar with physical therapists work helping patients with orthopedic problems, such as low back pain or knee surgeries, to reduce pain and regain function. Others may be aware of the treatment that physical therapists provide to assist patients recovering from a stroke (e.g., assisting them with recovering use of their limbs and walking again).

 

The ability to maintain an upright posture and to move your arms and legs to perform all sorts of tasks and activities is an important component of your health. Most of us can learn to live with the various medical conditions that we may develop, but only if we are able to continue at our jobs, take care of our families, and enjoy important occasions with family and friends. All of these activities require the ability to move without difficulty or pain. Physical therapists work with patient’s to minimize pain and help patients be able to complete their daily work and home activities.

 

Because physical therapists are experts in movement and function, they do not confine their talents to treating people who are ill. A large part of a physical therapist’s program is directed at preventing injury, loss of movement, and even surgery. Physical therapists work as consultants in industrial settings to improve the design of the workplace and reduce the risk of workers overusing certain muscles or developing low back pain. They also provide services to athletes at all levels to screen for potential problems and institute preventive exercise programs.

 

The cornerstones of physical therapy treatment are therapeutic exercise and functional training. In addition to “hands-on” care, physical therapists also educate patients to take care of themselves and to perform certain exercises on their own. Depending on the particular needs of a patient, physical therapists may also “mobilize” a joint (that is, perform certain types of movements at the end of your range of motion) or complete manual therapy to a muscle to promote proper movement and function. Physical therapists also use methods such as ultrasound (which uses high-frequency waves to produce heat) or electrical stimulation.  Although other kinds of practitioners will offer some of these treatments as “physical therapy,” it’s important for you to know that physical therapy can only be provided by licensed physical therapists or physical therapist assistants.

 

Not sure if physical therapy is right for you:  all you have to do is ask your doctor!

 

Reference: APTA