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What Do Physical Therapists Do?
For patients with disabling conditions or injuries, physical therapy plays a key role in their rehabilitation and recovery. Doctors prescribe physical therapy to help patients regain or preserve mobility and strength, relieve pain, and prevent long-term disability. Physical therapists specialize in the mechanics of the human body such as muscle performance, range of motion, balance and coordination, posture and motor function.
Physical therapists work in hospitals, private offices and medical clinics. They may specialize in sports medicine, orthopedics, cardiopulmonary physical therapy, neurology, pediatrics and geriatrics.
Video - Being a Physical Therapist
Excellent overview of what happens during a day for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Several PTs and PTAs are interviewed as they work with their patients. Areas of PT research are covered. Produced by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
How to Choose the Best Physical Therapist School
What makes for a top physical therapy program? Of course that answer will be different for each student -- but factors that all students should consider in choosing their "best" school and program include:
What's Required to Become a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapists hold a minimum of a two-year master's degree or a three-year professional doctorate degree from a college or university that is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA) Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). APTA offers a list of CAPTE accredited schools and other helpful info for prospective students. Most of the CAPTE schools offer doctorate degrees rather than masters.
Many degree programs require volunteer experience in a hospital's or clinic's physical therapy department for admission.
Employment requires state and national licensure. The National Physical Therapy Examination is given in all 50 states. Other requirements for physical therapists can vary between states.
Online Classes and Programs
Although on-campus programs may offer some classes online, the hands-on nature of physical therapy makes 100% online programs unsuitable.
Coursework
Physical therapy students divide their time between classes, lab and supervised hands-on practice. Classes usually cover:
- biology, physics and chemistry
- human growth and development
- biomechanics and neuroanatomy
- therapeutic procedures and examination techniques
- manifestations of disease
- areas of specialization
Scholarships
Scholarship sources: The American Physical Therapy Association, The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions, the Tylenol Scholarship Fund and the Texas Physical Therapy Association. Students should also contact their state's physical therapy association for scholarship information.
On-the-Job Responsibilities
Responsibilities of a physical therapist can include:
- Establishing a treatment plan for a patient according to the doctor's prescription
- Combining different treatment modalities such as heat/cold therapy, electrical stimulation, ultrasound and exercise
- Teaching patients how to use devices such as crutches, wheelchairs or prostheses
- Helping patients stretch and exercise
- Applying traction, massage, paraffin baths and other modalities
- Documenting the patient's progress
- Collaborating with occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, dentists and social workers
- Home Care Physical Therapist
- Kinesiotherapist
- Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant (LPTA)
- Outpatient Physical Therapist
- Pediatric Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist (PT)
- Physiotherapist
- Pulmonary Physical Therapist
- Registered Physical Therapist (RPT)
- Rehabilitation Services Director
- Sports Physical Therapist
- Staff Physical Therapist
- Treatment Coordinator
