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OwenVanDenBerghe
Ms.Plemmons
EnglishIVHonors
March24,2016
PhysicalTherapyasaCareer
Physicaltherapistsarehealthcareprofessionalswhodiagnoseandtreatindividualsofall
ages,frominfantstotheveryoldest,whohavemedicalproblemsorotherhealthrelated
conditionsthatlimittheirabilitiestomoveandperformfunctionalactivitiesintheirdailylives
(PhysicalTherapistJobDescription).Injuriesandhealthproblemsareanunfortunaterealityof
life.PhysicalTherapistsprovideimportanthelpandguidancewhenfacingthemanypossibilities
ofhealthcomplications.Astheneedforphysicaltherapistsgrow,sodoesthepopularityofthe
manytypesoftherapycareers,eachrequiringextensiveeducation.
Physicaltherapyisanextremelyimportantjob,astherewillalwaysbeinjuredpeople
requiringtreatment.Physicaltherapistsareoftenpartofahealthcareteamconsistingof
physicians,nurses,socialworkers,andotherspecialists(PhysicalTherapist).Theyareexperts
indiagnosingandtreatingpeoplewhohavemedicalproblems,injuries,orillnesses(Flath22).
Physicaltherapistsdeterminetherootcausesofapatientstraumaandcreateacustomized
rehabilitationplanbasedfortheinjury(PhysicalTherapistJobDescription).
PhysicalTherapistsusetherapeuticexercise,modalities,andtreatmentstohelptheir
patientsalleviatepain,regainstrength,andimprovegrossandfinemotorskills(Welcometo
PatientPage).Exercisesarethegotostrategytotreatandpreventinjuries.Exercisesare
handpickedtohelppatientsmovebetterby
strengtheningtargetedmusclesandaddressingany


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muscularimbalancesthatmayexist(RolesofPhysicalTherapist).T
reatmentscanrangefrom
heattomoresophisticatedmethodssuchasNeuromuscularElectricalStimulationwhichhelps
reducepainandexpeditethehealingprocess(RolesofPhysicalTherapist).Physicaltherapists,
dependingontheinjury,usuallyprescribepatientsaninhometreatmentandexerciseregimento
acceleratethehealingprocess.Theywillmonitoranddocumentthepatient'sprogressinorderto
personalizethetreatmentbasedontheirimprovement.Dependingontheseverityoftheailment,
patientsmayneedonevisitormonthsofcaretobefullyhealed(WelcometoPatientPage).
Physicaltherapistshavemanyrolesfromdiagnosinginjuriestodecidingthepropercare,without
them,manyinjurieswouldbeleftuntreated,leadingtoevenmorephysicalproblems.
Physicaltherapistshavemanyareasofspecializationforthemtopursue.Onetypeis
geriatrictherapy,whichfocusesontheuniquemovementneedsofolderadults.Geriatric
therapistsaretypicallyinchargeoftreatingoldermenandwomen.Commonconditionsseenby
thesetherapistsincludearthritis,osteoporosis,alzheimers,jointissues,andbalancedisorders
(WelcometoPatientPage).
Geriatricphysicaltherapistsusuallyworkinnursinghomesor
outpatientfacilitiesandworkwithpatientsindividuallyoringroupsettings(PhysicalTherapy
Specialties).Thehelpandsupportofgeriatrictherapistsiscrucialtoenableolderadultsto
regainphysicalabilitiestheyhavelostwithage.
Anotherimportantfocusforphysicaltherapistsisneurologicalissues.Neurological
therapistsevaluateandtreatpatientswhohavemovementproblemsduetovariousdamagesto
thenervoussystem.NeurologicalinjuriesincludeAlzheimers,braininjuries,CerebralPalsy,
MultipleSclerosis,Parkinsons,andspinalcordinjuries(WelcometoPatientPage).
Physical
therapistswhospecializeintheneurologicalrealmhelpimproveorrestorethemobilityneeded


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tomoveforwardwithone'slifewhichhasbeenimpairedbyneurologicalinjuries(Consumer
Info).Aneurologicalinjuryhastheabilitytoimpairsomeonedrastically,butwiththehelpof
physicaltherapists,onecanregaintheirfunctionalcapability.
Similarly,cardiopulmonaryphysicaltherapistsareexpertsintreatingindividualswho
sufferfromcardiovascularandpulmonaryissues
.
Possibleconditionsincludeheartattacks,
ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease,andPulmonaryFibrosis(WelcometoPatientPage).
Sincetheprimaryfunctionofthecardiopulmonarysystemistodeliveroxygentoactivetissues,
thesystemplaysanimportantpartinmovement(WelcometoPatientPage).Thatswhere
physicaltherapistsareneeded.Theyworktorehabilitateindividualswhosuffereda
cardiopulmonaryproblem,whichmaypreventthemfromperformingvariousfunctional
movements.
Injuriesoccurallthroughoutone'slife,evenasaninfant.Thatiswhytherearepediatric
physicaltherapists.Pediatrictherapist'sworktodetectandtreatproblemswithinfantsand
adolescentsasearlyaspossible.Pediatricphysicaltherapistsworkwithchildrenandtheir
familiestoassistchildreninreachingtheirmaximumpotentialtofunctionindependentlyandto
promoteactiveparticipationinhome,school,andthecommunity(WelcometoPatientPage).
Thesetherapistsprovidechildrenwiththeabilitytobecomefunctionaladults.
Anotherareaofspecializationforphysicaltherapistsistheintegumentarysystem.The
Integumentarysystemconsistsofskin,hair,andnails(seeimage1onpage7).Theprimary
functionofthissystemistoserveasabarrieragainsttheentryofharmfulvirusesandmicrobes
(IntegumentaryPhysicalTherapy).Commonconditionsmanagedbyintegumentaryphysical
therapistsincludewoundsandburns.Physicaltherapistmayusedressingsandtopicalagents,


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surgicalinstruments,andwoundirrigationsinordertohealthedamagedtissue(Integumentary
PhysicalTherapy).Topromotequickhealing,interventionssuchassplintingandcompression
garmentsmaybeutilized.Integumentaryphysicaltherapistsperformworksimilartothatof
nursesordoctorsinanemergencyroom(IntegumentaryPhysicalTherapy).Integumentary
therapistsplayahugeroleinaddressingandtreatingwoundsorotherinjuriestothebodywhich
canseriouslyimpairone'sphysicalabilities.
Womensufferfrommanydifferenttypesofinjuriesthatmendonottendtoexperience.
Women'shealthphysicaltherapistsisanareaofspecializationwhichisgrowingrapidly.It
mostlyfocusesonproblemsrelatedtopostpartum,childbirth,andthefemalereproductive
system(PhysicalTherapistSpecialties).Otherconditionsaddressedincludel
ymphedema,
osteoporosis,pelvicpain,urinaryincontinence,andotherdisordersrelatedtopelvicfloor
dysfunction(WelcometoPatientPage).Manualtherapy,whichisthetheutilizationofhands
ontechniquestotreatsofttissuesandjointstructures,hasproveninmultiplestudiestoincrease
ratesofconceptioninwomenwithinfertility.Women'sphysicaltherapyisveryimportantas
womenmayfacemanydiscomfortsthroughoutlife.
Amajorityofphysicaltherapypatientsarevictimsofrecreationalsportsinjuries.The
mostcommontypeofinjuriesseenbyphysicaltherapistsareailmentstothemusculoskeletal
systemwhichincludesweaknessestojoints,tendons,ligaments,andbones(seeimage2onpage
8).Sportsrelatedinjuriesrequiretreatmentfromanorthopedicphysicaltherapist(Welcometo
PatientPage).Orthopedictherapistsfocusonrestoringfunctiontothemusculoskeletalsystem
bychoosingexercisesandtreatmentsthatworkbestforthespecificinjury.Orthopedictherapists
worktohelppatientsrecoverquicklyaspossiblesotheycangetbacktotheirsportoractivity.


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Patientssufferingfromamusculoskeletalinjurycanexpectvariousmodalitiestofurthertheir
healing.Dryneedling,musclereeducation,therapeuticexercise,neuromusculartechniques,hot
packs,andelectricalmusclestimulationarecommontreatmentsforamusculoskeletalinjury.
(WelcometoPatientPage).
Physicaltherapyisacareerwhichrequirescomprehensiveknowledgeaboutthehuman
body.Therequirededucationtobecomeaphysicaltherapistisabachelor'sdegreeinarelated
field,plusadoctoraldegreeinphysicaltherapy(Flath46).Collegewasdifficultbutitflewby
andisdefinitelyworthit(Mendez).Toachievethemandatoryeducation,astudentwillattenda
collegeoruniversitywhichoffersadoctoralprograminphysicaltherapyforapproximatelyeight
years.AfewofthebestschoolsinthecountrytostudyphysicaltherapyincludeKaplan
University,SouthernNewHampshireUniversity,VirginiaCollege,andGrandCanyon
University(BenefitsofPhysicalTherapy).Theaveragetuitioncostforoutofstatestudentsin
2013was$29,157ayear.Thetuitionpriceforinstatestudentsin2013wasconsiderably
cheaperatabout$14,427(PhysicalTherapyQuestions).Undergraduatestudentsshould
considermajoringinsciencerelatedstudieslikebiology,sociology,oranatomy.Thiscareer
choicerequiresmucheducationalcommitment,butthereisareasonitisoneofthefastest
growingjobsintheUnitedStates.Physicaltherapistslovetheirjobs!
Asthepopulationgrowsandthebabyboomerpopulationcontinuestoage,theneedfor
physicaltherapistsisgreaterthanever.In2014,therewereabout210,000activephysical
therapistsintheUnitedStates(Summary).Thereisnoquestionthatthiscareerchoiceis
growinginpopularityexponentially.Thegreatsalary,environment,andrewardgainedthrough
helpingthoseinneedareallreasonsphysicaltherapyisbecomingapreferredcareerpath.Ilove


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beingabletohelppeopleeveryday(Mendez).TheBureauofLaborStatisticsexpects
employmentofphysicaltherapytogrowby30%by2018(Flath54).Theprojectedgrowthof
thisjobismuchgreaterthantheaverageoutlookforallotherjobsint
heUnitedStates.
(Summary)
Alloftheindicatorsrevealedthroughresearchsupportthatthedemandforphysical
therapistsisavaluablehealthresourceforwhichtheneedisconstantlyincreasing.Thereisa
broadspectrumofphysicaltherapyspecialistswhohelptoensureapatientreceivestheoptimal
opportunityofaquickandefficientrecovery.Inordertobecomeexpertsintheirspecialized
area,aphysicaltherapistmustcompletesignificanteducationandtraining.Withoutphysical
therapistsmanyinjurieswouldnotreceivethepropercareandtreatment.Itisagreatluxuryto
havesucheducatedandwelltrainedprofessionalstohelpguidepeoplethroughanyphysical
setbackonemayexperience."Transformingsocietybyoptimizingmovementtoimprovethe
humanexperience"istheultimategoalofaphysicaltherapist(BenefitsofPhysicalTherapy).