What Does a Physical Therapist Do : Career Outlook: Compensation : Places They Work : Education and Requirements :
What Does a Physical Therapist Do?
Physical therapists provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. According to Office of the Professions in the New York State Education Department they evaluate patients’ conditions and then plan and administer treatments to promote optimal health. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy. According to the American Physical Therapist Association (APTA) they diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from the newborns to the very eldest. A physical therapist can also specialize in a particular area.
 |
 |
(Physical therapist at work) |
For Kids
Physical therapists are often able to relieve pain and help kids resume daily activities. After an injury, physical therapists teach kids exercises designed to help them regain strength and range of motion, and also show them how to prevent a recurring injury. Physical therapy may be needed any time a child has difficulty moving in such a way that it limits daily activities. Physical therapist might guide kids through, developmental activities such as crawling and walking, weightlifting to build strength around an injury, flexibility exercises to increase range of motion, balance and coordination activities, adaptive play, aquatic (water) therapy, safety and prevention programs, instruction on how to avoid injuries and improving circulation around injuries by using heat, cold, exercise, electrical stimulation, massage, and ultrasound.
|
Doctors may recommend PT for kids with:
Source: KidsHealth.org
|
|
Career Outlook
With the increase in individuals with disabilities and limited functions and an increasingly elder population the services of physical therapist will be need more in the future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Employment of physical therapists is expected to grow 27 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Compensation
Physical therapist earn a generous salary annually, the more experienced and advanced a physical therapist is the more they tend to make annually. The median annual earnings of physical therapists according to data obtain by the Bureau of Labor Statistic in May 2006 were $66,200.The middle 50 percent earned between $55,030 and $78,080. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $46,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,810. The mean starting salary for physical therapist in 2007 was $69,760 annually, the lowest 10 percent earned $48,530 annually and the highest 10 percent earned $100,080 annually.
Median Annual Earnings in the Industries Employing the Largest Numbers of Physical Therapists in May 2006.
Industry |
Annual Mean Wage |
Home health care services |
$70,920 |
Nursing care facilities |
$68,650 |
General medical and surgical hospitals |
$66,630 |
Offices of physicians |
$65,900 |
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists |
$65,150 |
Median Annual Earnings in the Industry Employing the Largest Numbers of Physical Therapist in May 2007.
Industry |
Annual Mean Wage |
Social Advocacy Organizations |
$82,710 |
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries |
$82,650 |
Home Health Care Services |
$79,300 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
$76,980 |
Employment Services |
$74,720 |
Offices of Other Health Practitioners |
$71,230 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
$70,620 |
Home Health Care Services |
$79,300 |
Nursing Care Facilities |
$72,970 |
Offices of Physicians |
$71,710 |
Data Obtained from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Physical Therapists , on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ ocos080.htm (visited April 23, 2009).
Places Physical Therapist Work
Physical therapists work in various places, they include:
Private practices
Hospitals
Nursing care facilities
Out patient care centers
Home health care servicesÂ
Rehabilitation centers
Adult day care programs
Schools
Education and Requirements
To become a physical therapist.
You Need to graduate from an accredited physical therapist education program with a Masters or Doctorate degree. Masters degree programs are usually 2 years and Doctorate degree programs are usually 3 years.
You Need to pass a national and State licensure exams before you can practice.
You should have strong interpersonal skills so that you can educate patients about their physical therapy treatments and communicate with their families.
You should also be compassionate and possess a desire to help patients.
You are expected to continue your professional development by participating in continuing education courses and workshops. In fact, a number of States require continuing education as a condition of maintaining licensure.
TopFor More Information Visit:
American Physical Therapist Association at
http://www.apta.org
1-800-999-APTA (2783)
New York State Education Department
Office of the Professions
at
State Education Building - 2nd floor
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
http://www.op.nysed.gov/ptb.htm
Kids Health
at
http://www.Kidshealth.org
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Physical Therapists , on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ ocos080.htm
Physical Therapy.com at
http://www.physicaltherapy.com
and
About.com: Physical Therapy
http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/typesofphysicaltherapy/a/WhatisaPT.htm
Self Quiz
Take a quiz on what was just talked about.
