Who are Physical Therapists
The American Physical Therapy Association defines a physical therapist as “a licensed doctor who works with multiple patient populations impacted by disease, injury, and movement dysfunction.” Clear-cut and forward, this definition does not fully explain how a physical therapist specifically can help you. To do this, we need to break it down by the setting in which a physical therapist practices.
Most physical therapists work in private/outpatient clinics, like AzOPT. According to the Bureau of Labor, approximately 35% of the physical therapy workforce is employed in these private offices while 28% work in hospitals and 10% in home healthcare services.
Physical therapists work with different populations and body systems. While many physical therapists treat disorders of musculoskeletal origin, there are others who specialize in neurological injuries, which can include stroke, brain injuries, and even spinal cord injuries. Another setting includes pediatrics, like Kids Place, in which physical therapists work with children with developmental or physical limitations. Other settings in which physical therapists are employed include cardiac care centers, hospital burn centers, the aquatic/pool setting for patients who are not able to tolerate therapy on land, and home health practices in which the physical therapist will travel to the patient’s house if they do not have a proper support network to help them come into their PT sessions.
Physical therapists in outpatient clinics carry out a wide range of duties. At the core, your physical therapist will evaluate and assess your symptoms, movement, and function to diagnose the root cause in order to personalize a treatment plan that will return you to maximum function. Your physical therapy treatment plan is designed to reduce pain, improve strength and range of motion, increase muscle endurance, and most importantly, provide education on proper body mechanics and self-care to succeed independently.
Physical therapists utilize various methods to help achieve these. One of the best and most utilized is manual therapy. Manual therapy includes actions such as soft tissue mobilization, in which massages around certain muscle and joint structures help improve movement. Other methods include joint mobilizations, joint manipulations/adjustments, dry needling, cupping, IASTM (instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization), and some modalities such as heating and icing. All these are coupled with corrective exercises to make sure you are targeting the injury and improving the way you move.
A physical therapist is a healthcare provider who is an expert in movement and utilizes advanced techniques to help you return to maximum function when you have pain, limitation, or dysfunction. Whether you need help rehabbing an injury, returning to full function, or simply want to Live Better, we have 5 convenient physical therapy clinics in Arizona ready to serve you. Contact us today to get started on your journey to living and feeling better- pain free!
Reference:
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm#tab-7
