Who is a physical therapist?
Physical therapy is a medical intervention that restores the movement and function of an affected body part. It can help reduce or prevent the risk of injuries or illness in the future. It is a holistic approach used by physical therapists, who are trained health professionals who diagnose, evaluate, and treat physical disorders in the human body. They treat people of all ages, from newborns to older adults.
They may help you manage and treat conditions that manifest in various body systems — musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary (skin). In addition, they also support people who want to become fit and need advice on maintaining an active lifestyle.
Physical therapists work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, athletics facilities, schools, and clinics. They evaluate each patient and develop a customized treatment plan to improve their everyday movement, manage or eliminate pain, restore function, and prevent disorders. Physical therapists use a combination of medical interventions to understand your problem better. They perform various physical examinations to gauge your bodily movement. These include observing your energy during exercise, stretching, or using specific equipment.
Physical therapy aims to restore movement and increase the range and functionality of the affected body parts. Physical therapists help people achieve fitness goals and provide guidance on nutrition intake.
What is the educational qualification of a physical therapist?
Becoming a qualified physical therapist requires medical education, a specialized program, and post-graduate training. In the U.S., one must finish their Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT) accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Typically, a bachelor's degree is required to join a DPT program.
The DPT program is for three years. Aspiring doctors study diverse topics from the primary curriculum provided by the institution. These are biology, anatomy, cellular histology, physiology, exercise physiology, biomedical science, chemistry, pharmacology, pathology, clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, cardiovascular, endocrine, metabolic, and behavioral sciences.
About 80% of DPT modules are classroom-based lectures and lab studies, whereas 20% focus on clinical education. Clinical training helps doctors develop various medical skills like diagnosis, treatment, and preventive care. Moreover, they understand advanced medical science and innovative methodologies. Further, they also pass a state licensure examination. Licensed physical therapists may also opt to specialize in a field by participating in a clinical residency program.
What are the specialties of physical therapists?
The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties dictates ten specialty areas for physical therapists. These include the following:
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary: It was the first board-certified physical therapy specialization. Specialists in this field are skilled in assisting patients with a range of heart and lung conditions. These include conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, open-heart surgery, and heart attacks.
- Clinical electrophysiology: It is a recent specialization that treats conditions related to muscle and nerve damage often caused by wounds.
- Geriatrics: In this specialization, physical therapists receive training to help older patients with musculoskeletal and progressive neurological diseases, such as arthritis and Alzheimer’s, respectively.
- Neurology: It is one of the most in-demand specialties where physical therapists treat patients with neurological injuries, impairments, and disorders.
- Oncology: Physical therapists specializing in oncology learn about various types of cancer and help patients recovering from or undergoing cancer treatment. They focus on preventing bone density loss and weakness and alleviating chronic pain.
- Orthopedics: It is the most popular specialty in which physical therapists treat conditions of the bone, muscle, ligaments, tendons, and joints.
- Pediatrics: This specialty focuses on treating and managing physical conditions in children from newborns to teenagers. Pediatric clinical specialists are trained to treat conditions like cystic fibrosis, autism, and cerebral palsy.
- Sports: Sports clinical specialists treat professional athletes and those with regular physical activity. They are experts in rehabilitation and injury management. This specialization is also one of the most diverse career options for physical therapists. To specialize in it, physical therapists must obtain a CPR certification from the American Red Cross’s CPR for the Professional Rescuer course or the American Heart Association’s BLS Healthcare Provider Course.
- Women’s health: It is another recent specialization that focuses on treating various conditions across the lifespan of women. Physical therapists also help women during pregnancy, menopause, and pre- and postpartum with issues like pelvic pain or incontinence.
- Wound management: It became a specialty in 2023. It is multidisciplinary and focuses on treating deep and superficial wounds. It also focuses on the relationship between body systems and how treating one area affects the other.
What are the five advantages of physical therapy?
Physical therapy helps individuals with medical conditions that limit their regular ability to move. A physical therapist might help you create a customized treatment program to regain movement. Hence, here are five benefits of physical therapy:
1) Reduce and eliminate pain: If you experience severe pain in your muscles, joints, or tendons, you must visit a physical therapist near you. Therapeutic exercises and guided relaxation techniques like soft tissue massage, taping, or electric stimulation can help eliminate and relieve pain. It also prevents pain relapses.
2) Faster surgery recovery: Most physical therapists use manual treatments or techniques like ultrasound to reduce pain, eliminating the need for surgery. However, if the pain persists for a prolonged time, your doctor might recommend surgery. In this case, you may benefit from physical therapy — pre or post-surgery — making the recovery process faster and more robust.
3) Improve mobility: Your physical therapist might help you with standing, walking, or moving - regardless of age or medical condition. Muscle relaxation techniques like stretching and strengthening exercises can restore your mobility. Doctors can recommend using a cane, crutches, or other assistive devices. They can also examine orthopedic problems.
4) Recovery from stroke: A stroke can result in dire symptoms like sudden numbness, weakness in the face and arm, confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty comprehending sentences. Your ability to move quickly may also be adversely affected. Physical therapy can strengthen your muscles and restore the ability to use your body parts to the maximum potential. It can help you become more independent, and regular intervention can help you get back to many life activities you previously enjoyed.
5) Recovery from sports injury: Physical therapists also specialize in sports and wellness. They diagnose and treat various conditions that might affect an athlete or physically active people. They understand how engaging in sports can increase the risk of injuries in certain body parts. Hence, they may design a prevention plan to ensure an athlete's safety and performance.
What conditions can physical therapists treat, and how long does it take?
Physical therapists near you can address a wide range of issues that affect movement and physical function. They can effectively treat common conditions, such as back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, urinary incontinence, trigger finger, and lymphedema. Your primary care doctor or surgeon may recommend physical therapy after spinal cord injuries, rotator cuff tears, TMJ disorders, and concussions.
Furthermore, physical therapists are skilled in managing chronic conditions like muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. They also assist in post-surgery recovery for conditions such as herniated discs, ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repairs, and other orthopedic issues.
The duration of physical therapy varies based on individual conditions and treatment goals. Typically, the physical therapist collaborates with the referring doctor to establish a suitable treatment plan whose approval may be required before resuming certain activities.
What should one expect during the first visit to a physical therapist?
During the first visit with a physical therapist, patients should come prepared with relevant information, including a list of symptoms, affected activities, medical history, medications, and test results. It's essential to wear comfortable clothing for easy movement and bring any assistive devices if used. Open communication with the physical therapist about goals and expectations is encouraged for personalized therapy.
The appointment typically starts with an evaluation consisting of two main parts. Firstly, the patient discusses their pain, injury, and contributing factors in a subjective conversation. It provides valuable insights into their condition and history. Secondly, objective assessments, such as functional tests measuring strength and range of motion, are conducted to evaluate the issue further.
Follow-up sessions involve the physical therapist working with the patient on exercises, stretches, and interventions tailored to address the problem. These activities aim to improve strength and mobility and reduce joint strain, effectively alleviating pain. For pain relief and recovery, the physical therapist may use non-surgical approaches like dry needling, dry cupping, kinesthesiology taping, and blood flow restriction. Manual therapy enhances joint mobility and relaxes tight muscles.
Patients receive at-home stretches and exercises as part of their rehabilitation homework. The physical therapist continually reassesses the patient's progress throughout the treatment to ensure optimal recovery.
Find the best physical therapist near you in New Hyde Park, New York
With many physical therapy specialists available, finding the right fit for you can be challenging. Hence, the first step is understanding your needs, followed by finding a specialist with experience in the same domain. To do so, you can register with a free account on Zocdoc and find doctors from various medical fields.
The extensive filter options let you search based on your symptoms, doctor's specialty, location, and insurance carrier and plan. Once done, the results will include a comprehensive list of providers who meet your criteria. Moreover, every doctor has a unique profile where you can read about their academic background, medical expertise, services, research interests, experience, awards, certification, available appointment schedules, etc.
If you wish to narrow the list further, use filters like language, gender, hospital affiliations, etc. Furthermore, you can read verified reviews and ratings by past patients and compare them with your shortlisted doctors before making the final decision.
Once you have your top picks, book an appointment — in-person or virtual. Some doctors also offer the option of booking slots on the weekends, after 5 pm, and more, based on availability.
Booking an appointment with a physical therapist near you on Zocdoc is simple, free, and secure!
Physical therapy statistics in New York and the U.S.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in May 2023, about 240,820 physical therapists were actively practicing in the United States — of them, New York employed nearly 15,560 physical therapists.
Physical therapists treat various medical conditions that are either acute or chronic. In New York and around the country, chronic illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, are the leading cause of disability or health problems. According to the 2021 New York State Department of Health data, nearly 40% of New Yorkers suffer from chronic conditions. Of them, about 23% required hospitalization. Chronic disease is responsible for almost 6 out of every ten deaths in New York. Furthermore, heart disease and cancer were responsible for half of all deaths in New York.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease, is a significant cause of disability in the U.S. Based on the 2017 New York State Department of Health dataset, around 15.7 million individuals in the U.S. had COPD. In New York, nearly 900,000 adults had doctor-diagnosed COPD.
Sources
WebMD
American Physical Therapy Association
Burke Rehabilitation Hospital
New York State Department of Health[1]
New York State Department of Health[2]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Cleveland Clinic
Houston Methodist
National Council on Aging
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
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