A physical therapist is a health care professional who possess a four-year degree and is front and center in assisting individuals who have suffered from a severe accident and need physical rehabilitation.
A physical therapist assesses a wide variety of their clients' movements, looking specifically at such elements as strength, range of motion, balance and flexibility. After assessment, a physical therapist will then create a treatment program designed specifically for each individual patient and will address their specific needs. A physical therapist may work with a wide variety of individuals, including athletes, the elderly, children with disabilities, and anyone who has suffered a workplace injury. Physical therapists can play an important role in their patients' lives, helping them to recover and return to their normal lives.
A physical therapist may be employed in numerous settings, such as a specialty clinic, a school with children suffering from neurological or orthopedic disabilities, a facility working specifically with those who need assistance in returning home after an illness or injury, and general hospitals. Physical therapists also potentially travel to patients' homes to provide treatment.
These health care professionals are vital to the future health and rehabilitation of many individuals who have suffered life-altering traumas. They make the journey to recovery a manageable process for patients and put their minds at ease.
Physical Therapist (PT) Tasks
- Administer manual exercises, massage or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength or decrease or prevent deformity.
- Perform an initial exam, evaluate medical records and physician's referral and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Record prognosis, treatment, response and progress in patient's chart or computer database.
- Discharge patient from physical therapy when projected outcomes have been attained and provide for follow-up care or referrals.
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