The Pros And Cons Of Physical Therapy
What is a Physical Therapist?
If someone has been wounded in war, got injured while playing a sport, has been in a bad car accident, or has had a stroke, etc.; it is likely that they have some physical ability that no longer functions the way it should. Additionally, some people are born with or develop diseases that reduce the function of certain parts of their bodies. The career of physical therapy was developed to help people in these circumstances. Physical therapists aid in reducing a patient's pain and/or improving mobility (APTA, 2015). Not only do physical therapists help patients after they have lost mobility in a certain part of their body, they also try to help prevent it from happening in the first place (APTA, 2015). Currently in the United States, there is high demand in the physical therapist workforce (APTA, …show more content…
2016). By the year 2022, the need for physical therapists is expected to grow up to 36 percent of what it is now. (APTA, 2016). The growth of this occupation is significantly higher than the average growth of other occupational fields (APTA, 2016).
Physical therapists serve newborns, young children, middle aged people, older people, athletes, and many others (APTA, 2016) . They are here to help anyone who is in need. The average salary for this career is 85,000 a year (APTA, 2016). Like all other careers, salary varies depending on location, years of experience, education, and the position obtained (APTA, 2016). Physical therapists can work in a variety of settings (Castin, 2017). The typical settings you will find them in are hospitals, outpatient physical therapy clinics, patient’s homes, schools, prisons, gyms, sports teams, the military, and even veterinary clinics (Castin, 2017).
If someone wants to practice physical therapy, it is mandatory for them to take the National Physical Therapy Examination, which is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (n.d.,n.d). Before being able to take the National Physical Therapy Examination, obtaining a doctorate’s degree from an accredited physical therapist program is required (n.d., n.d.). A doctorate’s degree in physical therapy usually takes approximately 3 years to complete (n.d., n.d.) This program includes a combination of lectures, lab work, and clinicals (n.d., n.d.). Once fulfilling both of these requirements, some states will allow you to begin practicing physical therapy (APTA, 2016). Although, some states may require further licensure requirements before you can begin practicing (APTA, 2016).
In order to be a good physical therapist, there are certain skills required. A passion for helping others, commitment to helping patients finish therapy, good listening skills, and being able to relay instructions are all skills needed for this job (MAS, 2018) . Along with those, strength, coordination, and being able to operate medical equipment are required skills (MAS, 2018). Some recommended, but not required skills would include being tech-savvy and keeping up to date with current physical therapy treatments (MAS, 2018). In this profession, being tech-savvy can make treatment at home easier for the patients (MAS, 2018). Instead of sending home written or typed out exercises for a patient to complete, they could send them home online tutorials that show them how to do the exercises (MAS, 2018). This allows for less room for the patients to not understand how to do the exercises, which could prevent them from further injuring themselves. Personally, I think that if the patient is able to do these exercises at home that it would speed up their recover process slightly. A physical therapist would be able to better treat their patients if they stay up to date with physical therapy treatments (MAS, 2018). Something that worked on patients years ago might not work on patients now. Over time, there will continue to be new ways to treat patients. Maybe even ones that are more efficient. It’s good to keep up to date.
During the year 460 BC, a man named Hippocrates introduced the practice of manually manipulating a person’s body to relieve pain (Das, n.d.).
After he introduced his new idea, not much advancement happened (Das, n.d.). It wasn’t until then 19th century that major advancements started to happen (Das, n.d.). As a result to World War 1, physical therapy began being more widely practiced due to all the soldiers getting injured in war (Das, n.d.). In the 1920’s, polio became widespread, which causes paralysis in the body (Das, n.d.). Physical therapy treatment methods were improved due to the need of a way to help those who became infected with polio (Das, n.d.). Following the polio outbreak, in March of 1921, a research paper on physical therapy was published in the PT Review (Das, n.d.). Additionally in 1921, Mary McMillan founded the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association (Das, n.d.). As years went by, the organization’s name changed to the American Physical Therapy Association otherwise known as the APTA (Das, n.d.). Mary Mcmillan was the first physical therapy aide who became known as the “Mother of Physical Therapy” (Das,
n.d.).
I found it interesting that until World War 2, physical therapy was only practiced in hospitals (Das, n.d.). Physical therapists did not practice in specialized offices, gyms, colleges, prisons, etc (Das, n.d.). Specialized physical therapy offices were only invented to help recovering soldiers after being released from their hospital stays (Das, n.d.). By the year of 1974, physical therapy started to develop divisions (Das, n.d.). For example, orthopedics was the first division made (Das, n.d.). By the time we reached the 2000s, many more divisions were produced like skin therapy, sports therapy, neurological therapy, and cardiopulmonary therapy (Das, n.d.). It wasn’t until 1980 that computers started being in the medical science fields (Das, n.d.). This helped create tools like ultrasounds and electrical stimulators that now aid in the treatment of patients (Das, n.d.).
In the United States, there are many organizations associated with physical therapy (APTA, Nov. 2015). The American Physical Therapy Association is the most well know. Their website address is http://www.apta.org (APTA, Nov. 2015). Some other organizations include the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities, and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (APTA, Nov. 2015). Their website addresses are as follows: http://www.acapt.org/, http://www.abptrfe.org/home.aspx, http://www.abpts.org/home.aspx, and http://www.capteonline.org/home.aspx (APTA, Nov. 2015). These are just some of the many physical therapy organizations.
I think physical therapy would be a challenging career, but one that would afford great rewards as well. The opportunity to watch someone recover from a car accident and regain function would be so rewarding. On a day-to-day basis, physical therapists are able to help people begin their journey of recovery. Even though being a physical therapist would be a fulfilling career choice, it is not the right one for me.
If someone has been wounded in war, got injured while playing a sport, has been in a bad car accident, or has had a stroke, etc.; it is likely that they have some physical ability that no longer functions the way it should. Additionally, some people are born with or develop diseases that reduce the function of certain parts of their bodies. The career of physical therapy was developed to help people in these circumstances. Physical therapists aid in reducing a patient's pain and/or improving mobility (APTA, 2015). Not only do physical therapists help patients after they have lost mobility in a certain part of their body, they also try to help prevent it from happening in the first place (APTA, 2015). Currently in the United States, there is high demand in the physical therapist workforce (APTA, …show more content…
2016). By the year 2022, the need for physical therapists is expected to grow up to 36 percent of what it is now. (APTA, 2016). The growth of this occupation is significantly higher than the average growth of other occupational fields (APTA, 2016).
Physical therapists serve newborns, young children, middle aged people, older people, athletes, and many others (APTA, 2016) . They are here to help anyone who is in need. The average salary for this career is 85,000 a year (APTA, 2016). Like all other careers, salary varies depending on location, years of experience, education, and the position obtained (APTA, 2016). Physical therapists can work in a variety of settings (Castin, 2017). The typical settings you will find them in are hospitals, outpatient physical therapy clinics, patient’s homes, schools, prisons, gyms, sports teams, the military, and even veterinary clinics (Castin, 2017).
If someone wants to practice physical therapy, it is mandatory for them to take the National Physical Therapy Examination, which is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (n.d.,n.d). Before being able to take the National Physical Therapy Examination, obtaining a doctorate’s degree from an accredited physical therapist program is required (n.d., n.d.). A doctorate’s degree in physical therapy usually takes approximately 3 years to complete (n.d., n.d.) This program includes a combination of lectures, lab work, and clinicals (n.d., n.d.). Once fulfilling both of these requirements, some states will allow you to begin practicing physical therapy (APTA, 2016). Although, some states may require further licensure requirements before you can begin practicing (APTA, 2016).
In order to be a good physical therapist, there are certain skills required. A passion for helping others, commitment to helping patients finish therapy, good listening skills, and being able to relay instructions are all skills needed for this job (MAS, 2018) . Along with those, strength, coordination, and being able to operate medical equipment are required skills (MAS, 2018). Some recommended, but not required skills would include being tech-savvy and keeping up to date with current physical therapy treatments (MAS, 2018). In this profession, being tech-savvy can make treatment at home easier for the patients (MAS, 2018). Instead of sending home written or typed out exercises for a patient to complete, they could send them home online tutorials that show them how to do the exercises (MAS, 2018). This allows for less room for the patients to not understand how to do the exercises, which could prevent them from further injuring themselves. Personally, I think that if the patient is able to do these exercises at home that it would speed up their recover process slightly. A physical therapist would be able to better treat their patients if they stay up to date with physical therapy treatments (MAS, 2018). Something that worked on patients years ago might not work on patients now. Over time, there will continue to be new ways to treat patients. Maybe even ones that are more efficient. It’s good to keep up to date.
During the year 460 BC, a man named Hippocrates introduced the practice of manually manipulating a person’s body to relieve pain (Das, n.d.).
After he introduced his new idea, not much advancement happened (Das, n.d.). It wasn’t until then 19th century that major advancements started to happen (Das, n.d.). As a result to World War 1, physical therapy began being more widely practiced due to all the soldiers getting injured in war (Das, n.d.). In the 1920’s, polio became widespread, which causes paralysis in the body (Das, n.d.). Physical therapy treatment methods were improved due to the need of a way to help those who became infected with polio (Das, n.d.). Following the polio outbreak, in March of 1921, a research paper on physical therapy was published in the PT Review (Das, n.d.). Additionally in 1921, Mary McMillan founded the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association (Das, n.d.). As years went by, the organization’s name changed to the American Physical Therapy Association otherwise known as the APTA (Das, n.d.). Mary Mcmillan was the first physical therapy aide who became known as the “Mother of Physical Therapy” (Das,
n.d.).
I found it interesting that until World War 2, physical therapy was only practiced in hospitals (Das, n.d.). Physical therapists did not practice in specialized offices, gyms, colleges, prisons, etc (Das, n.d.). Specialized physical therapy offices were only invented to help recovering soldiers after being released from their hospital stays (Das, n.d.). By the year of 1974, physical therapy started to develop divisions (Das, n.d.). For example, orthopedics was the first division made (Das, n.d.). By the time we reached the 2000s, many more divisions were produced like skin therapy, sports therapy, neurological therapy, and cardiopulmonary therapy (Das, n.d.). It wasn’t until 1980 that computers started being in the medical science fields (Das, n.d.). This helped create tools like ultrasounds and electrical stimulators that now aid in the treatment of patients (Das, n.d.).
In the United States, there are many organizations associated with physical therapy (APTA, Nov. 2015). The American Physical Therapy Association is the most well know. Their website address is http://www.apta.org (APTA, Nov. 2015). Some other organizations include the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities, and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (APTA, Nov. 2015). Their website addresses are as follows: http://www.acapt.org/, http://www.abptrfe.org/home.aspx, http://www.abpts.org/home.aspx, and http://www.capteonline.org/home.aspx (APTA, Nov. 2015). These are just some of the many physical therapy organizations.
I think physical therapy would be a challenging career, but one that would afford great rewards as well. The opportunity to watch someone recover from a car accident and regain function would be so rewarding. On a day-to-day basis, physical therapists are able to help people begin their journey of recovery. Even though being a physical therapist would be a fulfilling career choice, it is not the right one for me.