Reasons You May Need Physical Therapy

Physical therapists help patients manage and recover from debilitating physical conditions that leaves them unable to function normally. The purpose of physical therapy is to help people who have conditions that limit their ability to function in their daily activities. A physical therapist uses many techniques and devices to assist clients with recovering physical strength and range of motion, improving mobility of injured body parts, managing pain, improving posture, and managing physically debilitating conditions. Conditions patients normally suffer can be the result of an injury, illness, or chronic disease such as diabetes. Therapeutic equipment can include ultraviolet and infrared lamps, EMS machines, whirlpool baths, and ultrasonic machines.

Physical therapy consists of a therapist assessing a patient's ability to function, monitoring motor function, improving balance and coordination, increasing muscle strength, improving range of motion, creating treatment plans for the rehabilitation facility as well as at home, and recording a patient's progress. They also instruct patients on how to use therapeutic medical devices such as canes and crutches, wheelchairs, braces, artificial limbs...etc.

Many people are not sure if they are in need of physical therapy. Physical therapy can be used for all neuromuscular or musculoskeletal dysfunctions. If you have any of the following conditions, you may require physical therapy:

What Are the Tasks of a Physical Therapist?

A Physical Therapist will serve their patients in helping them to relieve pain, improve their mobility, and help to prevent any permanent physical damage that may cause disability.

Patients of a Physical Therapy may include people who suffer from severe back pain, shoulder pain, fractures, heart disease, arthritis, and head injuries, to name a few. Sometimes, the work of a physical therapist can be physically demanding as they may have to help move patients and help them make certain body movements during therapy. Besides helping move their patients, in Physical Therapy a therapist may also have to move around heavy equipment sometimes.

Physical Therapy have access to their patients medical histories and will examine them so that they can test their patients strength and muscle performance, range of motion, balance, posture and so on. For instance, if a patient has a rotary cuff injury, they will have a hard time raising their arm straight up. The physical Therapy will continually test that patient to see if improvements are made as treatment goes on. Their goal here is to get their patient to raise their arm without pain and to reach that point, the Physical Therapy will have to develop a strategy and a plan to get the healthy outcome that he/she and the patient desire.

The Best Job in America? - Physical Therapy

Do you know why physical therapy is regarded as one of the best jobs in America? Are you wondering what career path to take? Do you want to change from your dead end job to a career in one of the fastest growing industries in America? Do you want to work in a profession that allows you to have a life outside of your work?

If you do, consider a career change to physical therapy. It is a challenging and rewarding career and as you'll see, is considered one of the best jobs in America. Here's why.

Job security is a major factor in determining Americas' best job. Even in the recent global financial crisis, the health care sector has performed as one of the strongest growing industries in America, in particular physical therapy. The ageing population in conjunction with obesity is placing greater demand on the health care system and therefore on physical therapists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate a 39% increase in physical therapy workforce in the next 10 years. That's a further 75000 jobs. This is a reason why US News rated it as the 4th best Health care job in America.

A high paying salary is another reason physical therapy is high on Americas' best jobs list. In 2010, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average yearly wage for a physical therapist was approximately $76,000. You can expect to be paid more than $105000 in a managerial position and around $54000 in your first year after you graduate from university. The beauty is that the more experience you have the better you get paid so the prospects of development and progression are phenomenal.