Physical Therapy

Physiotherapist man giving exercise with dumbbell treatment About Arm and Shoulder of athlete male patient Physical therapy concept

Who Are Physical Therapists?

Physical Therapists (PTs) are highly educated health care professionals. They can help patients reduce pain and improve mobility and function, in many cases without expensive imaging, medical interventions, and surgery, often reducing the need for long-term prescription medications and their side effects.

In 2018, there were 249,079 board certified physical therapists in the U.S. They engage in evidence-based practice in a variety of settings, including, but not limited to hospitals, nursing homes, private clinics, the Armed Forces, public schools, professional sports teams, patients’ homes, universities, and research institutions.

Education

National accreditation standards now require physical therapist candidates to earn a clinical doctoral degree in physical therapy (DPT), requiring 7-8 total years of college coursework, before sitting for the state board exam.

In 1985, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties began administering post-graduate board testing and certification to those with several years of experience within a specific physical therapy specialty. These PT board certified specialists now include:

  • Orthopaedic Certified Specialist
  • Neurologic Certified Specialist
  • Sports Certified Specialist
  • Pediatric Certified Specialist
  • Women’s Health Certified Specialist
  • Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Certified Specialist
  • Clinical Electrophysiology Certified Specialist
  • Geriatric Certified Specialist

Vision 2020

In the year 2000, the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) House of Delegates passed Vision 2020, a lofty vision for the future of the physical therapy profession:

“APTA Vision Sentence for Physical Therapy 2020: By 2020, physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as the practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and environmental barriers related to movement, function, and health. “

Your First Visit

A physical therapist patient examination is similar to that performed by other health care practitioners in the area of physical medicine, but perhaps more detailed and focused on movement dysfunction and pain.

An examination always includes a patient history, screening for serious medical disorders, a detailed physical examination with numerous objective tests and measures, a physical therapy diagnosis, and a treatment plan in which specific goals and expected outcomes of care are discussed with the patient.

Cost

Professional instruction in exercises and therapy runs between $20 and $60 per session, with therapies priced about the same. Typically providers will treat 2-3 timer per week for several weeks depending on response.

If no improvement is noted after 6-12 visits, a different treatment approach should be tried. Insurance may cover most of these costs.

LATEST

What Causes Balance Problems in the Elderly?

We achieve balance with a mixture of sensory information from the central nervous system, mobility, and strength. When any of these are compromised, balance can be lost. Balance problems can occur in the elderly when there is dysfunction with the inner ear, nerves, heart, eyes, joints, muscles and bones, which must all act in unison. …
Read More

Hypertension

In order to understand hypertension or high blood pressure, it is important to know what blood pressure actually is. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls from within arteries.  This pressure changes throughout the day as blood is transported from your heart to other body organs. It is measured with two…
Read More

Home Remedies for Headaches

What are home remedies for headaches? Home remedies for headaches involve herbs, and nutritional supplements along with practical actions that you can use such as sensible modification of diets, exercise and elimination of substances as in caffeine, alcoholic beverages and smoking. Home remedies have become increasingly popular since the public wants a more holistic approach…
Read More

TOP BLOGS