What Are The Functions Of A Physical Therapist?
By Johanna Davis
Are you thinking of becoming a physical therapist? Or perhaps you’re just wondering about their roles and responsibilities? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Physical therapists provide their services to clients to help them: 1. Restore function 2. Improve their mobility 3. Relieve pain 4. Helps in preventing or limiting the possibility of a permanent physical disability of patients who have injuries/diseases.
In short, physical therapists assist in restoring, maintaining and promoting the overall fitness and health of patients or clients. Typically, people who seek help from physical therapists are those who are suffering from acute or chronic low-back pains, heart diseases, fractures, head injuries, arthritis and so on. These are the things that physical therapists do:
1. Check the patients’ medical histories – they have to understand the medical condition of the patient before they start their treatment.
2. Do a series of tests to determine the patients: a. Strength b. Range of motion c. Balance and coordination d. Posture e. Muscle performance f. Respiration g. Motor function
3. Assess the patient’s capacity to be independent
4. Assess the patient’s ability to go back to work and the community after the treatment of his or her illness or injury.
5. Develops a treatment plan or strategy – this includes the purpose and the anticipated outcome of the treatment plan. A physical therapist may involve a physical therapist aide to help him or her perform the tasks. However, the aide can only perform routine support tasks and will always be under the direction of the therapist.
The therapist may employ certain exercises to improve the flexibility, mobility, endurance and strength of their patient. Aside from helping them do this, they also encourage the patients to utilize their own muscles in order for them to improve their condition. Once the patients are ready, they will move on to more advanced exercises that aim to improve their coordination, strength, endurance and balance. These exercises will help them function well again at home and at work.
Aside from exercise, these are the other things that therapists may use during the treatment process: 1. Electrical stimulation 2. Hot packs/cold compress 3. Deep tissue massage 4. Ultrasound 5. Traction
Aside from these, the therapist also performs client teaching. They educate the patients on how to use certain adaptive devices and different exercises they should perform at home to hasten their recovery. So these are the responsibilities of a physical therapist. Do you think this is the type of job that you want? If so, go find a good school and enroll yourself!
Now do you know how to become a physical therapist? You should understand their roles and responsibilities first so you’d know if this profession is for you. Want to know how much they earn? Visit http://findphysicaltherapist.com/a-physical-therapist-salary/