Who is a physical therapist?
Physical therapists help patients improve the range of movement of various joints and manage musculoskeletal pain. They also help prevent disability and restore function, enabling people to live healthy and active lives. Physical therapists treat people of all ages by educating patients, prescribing exercise, and providing hands-on care. They also cater to people who have no presenting complaints but want to prevent future problems.
Physical therapists work in private clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and sports and fitness facilities. They may also work in schools, workplaces, and long-term care facilities.
Aspiring physical therapists must attend a three-year training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Here, they gain knowledge in various fields, such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, biology, and cellular histology. Besides these, they also study:
- Kinesiology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Exercise physiology
- Sociology
- Finance
- Evidence-based practice
- Musculoskeletal system
- Management sciences
- Behavioral sciences
- Communication
- Clinical reasoning
- Endocrine and metabolic functions
- Medical ethics/values.
While 20% of the program involves clinical education, the rest (80%) has students learning in classrooms and laboratories. Students, on average, gain about 27.5 weeks of clinical experience during this course. Students earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree after completing the program. To begin practice, they must pass a state licensure exam.
Some physical therapists prefer to study further and specialize in a particular area. For this, they must complete a residency or fellowship program. They can also become board-certified by applying to the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and completing the required formalities. Physical therapists may specialize in such areas as,
- Sports
- Orthopedics (bone, joint, and spinal problems)
- Neurology (brain health)
- Oncology (cancer)
- Clinical electrophysiology
- Cardiovascular (heart) and pulmonary (lungs)
- Geriatrics (treating older people)
- Pediatrics (treating children).
What should you expect during your consultation with a physical therapist?
Your primary care physician or other specialists may refer you to a physical therapist if they feel you benefit from their treatment. During the first appointment, your doctor will review any notes made by the referring physician and look at your list of medications. They will ask you about your symptoms and enquire if you have had any injury or surgery recently.
After taking your medical history, the therapist will perform a physical exam, asking you to move various joints to check your range of motion. They may also ask you to stand, walk, or perform specific clinical tests.
Once they analyze your issue, they will prepare an individualized treatment plan. This may include physical exercises, stretching, hands-on techniques, or equipment-based training. Further, they might also advise using therapeutic aids such as kinesthetic tape or electrical stimulation machines. The therapist will then explain these exercises and ask you to perform them. If there is any discomfort while conducting these, you should inform your therapist, as they can change or modify the exercises to avoid further injury. Massages, warm water therapy, heat or cold therapy, and ultrasound therapy are other treatments your therapist may recommend.
Physical therapy is known to reduce the need for medication or surgery in many cases. You may have to visit again if the therapist wants to check your progress and change any recommended treatment.
Why should you visit a physical therapist?
Your primary care doctor or other specialists may recommend you to a physical therapist near you to improve your functionality. Many people also see a physical therapist to prevent disability or surgery, relieve pain, improve ability or movement, recover from a sports injury, or get a splint or brace. Even after pregnancy, many women turn to physical therapy to help restore their pelvic floor strength and functioning.
Moreover, therapists can help improve your balance or manage chronic pain conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and impingement syndrome. You may also need physical therapy to recover faster if you are recovering from an orthopedic problem, such as rotator cuff repair, herniated disc, or anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. These therapists may advise patients to use assistive devices like walkers or canes to help them walk in ambulatory issues.
Your illness and treatment objectives will determine how long you need physical therapy. Your referring physician and a physical therapist will frequently work together to develop a recommended treatment plan. One may require a physical therapist's approval before resuming some activities, such as cycling or a therapist's exercises.
Conditions that can benefit from physical therapy
Physical therapy is necessary for several acute and chronic medical disorders. Physical therapy may be the only choice for certain patients, while it may also be a component of a more significant treatment strategy that includes medicine and surgery. Here are a few typical ailments that are treated by physical therapy:
- Arthritis—affects the feet, hands, knees, lower back, and hips and is characterized by pain, inflammation, and joint swelling. Your physical therapist may suggest range-of-motion activities to ease joint stiffness, strengthening exercises to increase muscular strength, and aerobic workouts to keep your body fit.
- Fractures, strains, and sprains—frequently result from activities like sports or other everyday mishaps like tripping over something or falling. Your physical therapist can suggest RICE for such injuries, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation, followed by brief physical activity to improve mobility.
- Stroke: This can cause disabilities and need physical therapy to recover physical function and teach patients how to perform simple everyday motor tasks like walking, standing, sitting, and lying down again.
What is homecare physical therapy?
Physical therapy care is offered in various settings like hospitals and outpatient clinics. However, some patients find it difficult to leave the house for physical therapy; that’s where homecare physical therapy is beneficial.
A physical therapist comes home to provide services for in-home physical therapy. Generally, you would opt for in-home physical therapy for the following reasons:
- Leaving home is a health risk as you have a severe or acute condition.
- You have limited functional mobility and are unable to travel.
- You lack access to transportation to get to your physical therapy.
- You prefer a private physical therapy session at home.
Some conditions that require home-care physical therapy are:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease
- Post-surgical conditions such as total knee or total hip replacement
- Stroke
- After trauma such as a fracture or cardiac event such as a heart attack.
Many people perceive homecare physical therapy as ineffective as it may be expensive and require heavy equipment for best results. A homecare physical therapist is trained to use available resources and will also bring along light equipment to ensure you get the most out of your physical therapy.
How does one find a good physical therapist near you?
It can take time and effort to find a physical therapist who is knowledgeable and reliable. However, Zocdoc makes it quicker and easier to discover healthcare providers nearby. Follow a few simple steps to schedule an online or in-person consultation from the comfort of your home.
Visit the Zocdoc website and enter your symptoms or condition, location, insurance information, and the day you want to see a physical therapist to schedule a consultation. Select "find" and look through the provided providers' list. Depending on their provider's availability, users of Zocdoc can schedule a visit 24 hours in advance, the same day, before 10 a.m., after 5 p.m., or even on the weekend.
By selecting "book online" and "view all availability," you can view a physical therapist's schedule. Additionally, you can choose your provider based on gender, affiliation with a hospital, languages spoken, office location, travel time, wait time, and insurance plans accepted. Zocdoc also maintains detailed profiles of each healthcare provider. You can learn about their education and training, qualifications, medical background, clinical experience, specialties, and the conditions for which patients seek care. You can also check any certificates, honors, licenses they may have obtained, and whether they treat children.
To help users understand other people's experiences with a particular healthcare professional, Zocdoc now includes genuine and verified patient reviews on each profile.
With Zocdoc, booking appointments with physical therapists near you is simple, quick, and free.
Statistics on physical therapists and obesity in North Carolina
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 6,720 physical therapists in North Carolina in May 2022. The Bureau expects physical therapist employment to increase by 15% between 2023 and 2033, substantially faster than the average for all occupations.
On average, there should be about 13,900 openings for physical therapists over the next ten years. Most positions will be to replace workers changing careers or leaving the workforce due to retirement.
Besides general pain-related diseases, physical therapists can also help improve movement in obese patients. They can help manage obesity with the help of exercise intervention, mobility training, and cardiorespiratory programs for impairment associated with obesity. Obesity is when a person has a body mass index of 30 or above based on height and weight.
According to America's Health Rankings, about 36% of adults in North Carolina were considered obese in 2021, higher than the national average of 33.9%. Women (37.9%) were more likely to be obese than men (34.1%). This condition's incidence was highest at roughly 41.9% in those aged 45 to 64. The percentage was lower in those aged 18 to 44 (33.4%) and those aged 65 and above (33%).
Sources
American Physical Therapy Association
WebMD
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[1]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[2]
National Center for Biotechnology Information
America's Health Rankings
VeryWell Health[1]
VeryWell Health[2]
