Physical Therapy Careers

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my life goal to help as many people I can. I have moved around in many different areas of the medical field, but no career had caught my eye as much as physical therapy. As an athlete, I have been in and out of the physical therapist’s office for a majority of my life. Each time I have went I could not help but be beyond grateful for what these people have done for me; they have given me the ability to play the sport I love despite all the hiccups. Physical therapy is a dynamic field within the field of medicine because as a physical therapist one can make a difference in the lives of his or her patients, enjoy job security, and enjoy a rewarding and personally satisfying career.

My career goal is to have my own Physical Therapy practice, and to be my own boss. I want to help revolutionize the ways in which medical personnel approach their patients, as there tends to be a disconnection between patients and medical staff. One of the biggest challenges I will likely face is owning my own practice, because I would first need to work under another company until I gain enough experience and financial wellness to open my own office. However, money and experience are only a small portion of making my business and my vision successful. I will need to be diligent in my pursuits, despite any setbacks that may occur, in an effort to help my practice thrive. My patients will be my number one concern in this respect. If I implement

Physical therapy takes a more direct pathway towards a more specific problem with the human body. Physical therapy is a rehabilitation that works towards a goal of helping patients maintain, improve, or recover their physical abilities, most often times after an accident causing traumatic injury or arthritis (Mayo School of Health Sciences). Patients of a physical therapist often come in solely for the purpose of regaining their movement, not the health aspect involved behind it. Most patients of this therapist have suffered sports injuries, traumatic accidents, over even simply a problem of weakening with age such as those who suffer arthritis or other weakening of the joints and muscles. With step by step sessions focusing purely on strengthening the muscles and joints required to perform the movement functions, the patients rebuild their way from movement with pain, to no pain or suffering involved in everyday activities. When a patient begins therapy, they more or less begin with baby steps such as stretches and hydrotherapy to allow the body to relearn the movements without pain (What is Physical Therapy?). As the patient increases in strength

The job I plan on pursuing with kinesiology as my major is to become a physical therapist, which is also known as PT. Their main duty is helping patients rehabilitate with disabling injuries such as fractures, arthritis and low-back pain. Their duty is to help patients their relieve pain, increase mobility, and decrease long-term physical disabilities. Physical therapists focus on the evaluation of strength, balance, range of motion, co-ordination, endurance, and posture of each individual patient. Their patients can range from different age groups from infants to grandparents. The age group would provide a variety of therapeutic exercises for each of the health issues they would have. Depending

Life can change in a split second when an unanticipated injury or disease hinders someone’s normal daily life. Modern medicine, physicians and families can only do so much but physical therapy can help recoup the life many of us take for granted. It often isn’t until we lose something that we as humans realize what we had such as the value of our body’s ability to take us through each day. A physical therapist is the person who stays with a patient for the duration of the rehabilitation process. A physical therapist leads the patient through the process of regaining physical strength and helps the patient regain control of their future. Much like many careers that involve interaction with individuals, physical therapy reaches beyond

When considering the physical therapy career field, I concluded that my interests and skills are compatible with the career requirements in this field. My sisters friend whom I chose to interview for this paper, contributed to my interest in physical therapy. By doing this research I would like to learn the average pay for a physical therapist. Also, what are suggested classes for a physical therapist while in college? This research will help me better understand what a physical therapist does and will either help me lean towards or away from a career in this field.

If you are interested in a hands-on job, in which you observe patients during treatment sessions, assist patients, and receive instructions from a physical therapist, consider pursuing a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant. There are many reasons you should consider a career in physical therapy. A physical therapist assistant works under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. In many practices, physical therapists rely on the physical therapist assistant to make sure that all the patients have access to physical therapy services. They help the physical therapist by providing physical therapy treatment sessions that the therapist might not get around to. According to American Physical Therapy Association physical therapy has a long history of returning individuals to their maximum level of physical function and in many cases; patients are being sent to physical therapy instead of surgery (“Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Careers Overview”). The physical therapist often depends on their assistant to provide services, such as workouts by helping the clients through many different exercises, massages, applying hot or cold packs, paraffin baths (“Physical Therapist Assistant - Career Overview”). Physical therapist assistants work with physical therapists, assisting them with the rehabilitation exercises and therapies relating with recovering from an injury or disability

As a PTA I have been given a breath of knowledge in regard to the profession of physical therapy. However, I am not satisfied with this breath of knowledge. I yearn for the opportunity to gain a further understanding in terms of “how and why” physical therapy is successful at restoring function to individuals seeking

Physical therapist help their patients recover from injuries, improve mobility, and prevent or help limit impairment. The main goal of a physical therapist is to help a patient be fully self sufficient so that they can properly function in their community with the best possible health.

Physical therapists are members of a health care team, specially trained to improve movement and flinction, relieve pain, and expand movement potential. Through evaluation and individualized treatment programs, physical therapists can both treat existing problems and provide preventive health care for people with a variety of needs (Physical Therapy-Improving 1). Physical therapists are very knowledgeable and skillful concerning the human body. Physical therapy is a complex, but rewarding field to pursue as a career. Specialization, working conditions, job outlook, salaries, and education requirements need to be taken into consideration when contemplating a career as a physical therapist.

A well thought-out routine is more likely to ease the patient make them feel comfortable, often speeds up the process of treatments. Physical disability often involves loss or reduction in one or more abilities. While a Physical Therapist works with patients in an attempt to recover some of these functions. Thus, “The best part of being a PT is seeing someone improve their life because of the help that I’ve Provided.”(Harasymiw pg.58). Additionally, a motivating and humble perspective can help give patients gain confidence they need to begin

The human experience is not a vague suggestion of what everyone strives for. This is a very individualized set of preferences and priorities that each person desires in life. We are all unique beings and as a physical therapist, there is a duty to create a specific strategy of care that is centered on the needs of the consumer. Movement is the basis of everything we do. Optimizing movement by improving mobility and motion, managing pain, and regaining original capabilities will guide society to a healthier and more active lifestyle.

According to The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (2016), allied health is the segment of the health care field “that delivers services involving the identification, evaluation and prevention of diseases and disorders; dietary and nutrition services; and rehabilitation and health systems management.” One of the many health professions in allied health is in physical therapy. Physical therapists can diagnose and treat people of all ages who have medical or health-related conditions. These conditions most likely limit their mobility and their availability to perform everyday activities. Some of these medical or health-related conditions include: cardiopulmonary, hand and feet issues, musculoskeletal, neurological, pediatrics, sports injuries, women’s health, and pelvic floor. A physical therapist is in charge of helping patients restore mobility, manage pain, and sometimes they can even reduce the need for surgery or prescription drugs. This is done by executing a treatment plan. The treatment plan may encompass exercise, soft tissue massage, functional training, physical modalities and other types of therapies (Onks & Wawryzniak, 2014). To become a physical therapist, one has to undergo many vigorous steps and obtain a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. The work environment of a physical therapist typically includes private offices and clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, a lot of physical therapists

Physical Therapists have the same aspirations; to improve the quality of life and make developmental progress with our deteriorating bodies. As people get older or fall victim to injuries, their bodies become damaged. The body is like a machine; there are levers (joints), pumps (heart), plumbing (vasculature), wiring (nerves), and many other mechanical affiliations that make the body work as a whole. It is an elaborate product to produce work, so when an injury or abnormality occurs, it prevents the full magnitude of work to be exerted. For example, each joint within the body has an average range of motion,

Physical therapy is the scientific physical procedures used in the treatment of patients with a disability, disease, or injury to achieve and maintain function and to prevent malfunction or deformity. One of the most important tasks that physical therapists perform is the various forms of therapeutic exercise that are used to increase strength and endurance to improve coordination and functional movement for activities of daily living and to increase and maintain range of motion (APTA History).