What is physical therapy?
Physical therapy helps recovery from injuries, illnesses, and conditions. It involves exercise, stretching, manual techniques, special equipment, and more to help restore physical function and reduce pain. Physical therapy can treat musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, arthritis, and sports injuries. It can also help in post-operative recovery.
Who is a physical therapist?
A physical therapist (PT) is a medical professional who helps patients regain function after an illness or injury. They treat patients of all ages. Physical therapists use various techniques to assist their patients' recovery. These may include exercises, stretching, massage, and electrical stimulation. They also prescribe patients crutches, canes, and other assistive devices. In addition to aiding patients to recover from injuries, PTs can also help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. They do this by working with people to improve their flexibility and strength. This can help lower the risk of falling down and other accidents.
Education and training of physical therapists in the US
A physical therapist candidate should earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. A DPT program generally lasts three years. Students attain proficiency and experience in areas such as:
- Biology
- Exercise physiology
- Cellular histology
- Kinesiology
- Anatomy
- Biomechanics
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Sociology
- Behavioral sciences
- Evidence-based practice
- Clinical reasoning
Many DPT programs can require students to have a bachelor's degree. Some programs offer students a three-plus-three program in which they can take undergraduate physical therapy courses for three years before advancing to a professional DPT program for three years. DPT programs also allow high school graduates direct entry into a guaranteed admissions program after they complete undergraduate requirements.
Typically, DPT programs consist of 80% classroom and lab work and 20% clinical experience. Students complete their final clinical experience over 27 weeks. Licensees can apply for clinical residency and fellowship programs to gain additional knowledge and experience.
What are some specialties of physical therapy?
PTs can specialize in a variety of fields beyond their basic skills. They can do this by meeting specific requirements of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Here are nine types of physical therapy specialties:
- Pediatrics: Pediatric physical therapists work with children, addressing developmental delays, scoliosis, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, and brain injuries. They work in rehabilitation facilities, schools, outpatient centers, and even at the patient's home. Educating families about caring for their children is also part of their role.
- Geriatrics: With the aging of the baby boomer generation, geriatric physical therapy is growing. These therapists help elderly patients manage conditions like osteoporosis, arthritis, and joint stiffness. They aim to maintain the physical health and mobility of seniors and may also assist in cases of progressive diseases like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.
- Sports: Sports physical therapists focus on rehabilitating athletes who have sustained injuries, such as concussions, ACL tears, or muscle strains. They use various techniques, including stretching, strengthening, and hydrotherapy, to help athletes return to peak performance and prevent further injuries.
- Women's health: Specialists in women's health treat conditions like pelvic pain, osteoporosis, and lymphedema. They also provide prenatal and postnatal care, considering the unique musculoskeletal needs of women throughout their lives, from athletes to older individuals.
- Clinical electrophysiology: Clinical electrophysiology involves electrotherapy and wound management. It uses electromyography to assess muscle and nerve health and employs electrical stimulation to aid wound healing, improve circulation, and reduce pain. Commonly treated wounds include diabetic ulcers, post-surgical incisions, and lacerations.
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary: In this specialty, physical therapists offer cardiac rehabilitation to heart patients and pulmonary rehabilitation for those with conditions like COPD or cystic fibrosis. They focus on reducing stress, improving endurance, and providing long-term management education.
- Neurology: Neurological physical therapists treat patients with nervous and spinal system disorders, including multiple sclerosis, brain or spinal cord injuries, and neuropathy. Their goal is to improve balance, coordination, sensations, and movement through various therapies.
- Orthopedics: Orthopedic physical therapists specialize in conditions affecting ligaments, tendons, bones, muscles, and joints. They work with patients who have joint replacements, arthritis, fractures, or muscle and ligament injuries, using techniques like stretching, exercise, and electrical muscle stimulation.
- Oncology: Physical therapists in oncology focus on patients diagnosed with cancer or recovering from it. They help manage cancer-related symptoms like muscle weakness, pain, and loss of endurance through exercise, electrical stimulation, massage, and other therapies.
What are some conditions treated using physical therapy?
Physical therapy can treat several conditions. These include:
- Arthritis
- Sprains and strains
- Back pain
- Joint pain
- Muscular dystrophy
- Cancer
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Ankle sprain
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuropathy
- Osteoporosis
- Parkinson's disease
- Tendonitis
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Huntington's disease
What should one expect from the first physical therapy session?
Most people have their first physical therapy session after an injury or surgery. During your first session with a physical therapist near you, they will:
- Take a thorough health history to understand your current condition and how it developed. This helps them create a special individualized treatment plan for you.
- Perform a detailed examination to assess the mobility of your joints, strength, balance, and endurance. This will help them identify any movement impairments contributing to your pain or disability.
- Educate you about your condition and what you can do to manage it. This may include advice on exercises, posture, and lifestyle changes.
- Develop a treatment plan with specific goals for you to achieve. Treatment may consist of hands-on techniques to reduce pain and improve range of motion and exercises to improve strength and flexibility.
What should you do after physical therapy?
After physical therapy, there are a few things patients can do to continue their progress and prevent further injury:
- Following the home exercise program prescribed by the physical therapist is crucial. This will help maintain the progress made during therapy and help prevent further deterioration.
- Patients should continue to use proper body mechanics when performing everyday activities. This means using good posture and lifting techniques to avoid strain on the body.
- Listening to the body and being aware of any new or worsening symptoms is essential.
If pain or other symptoms occur, it is vital to call the doctor or physical therapist for guidance on managing them.
How to find a physical therapist near you in Raleigh, North Carolina?
Finding a physical therapist in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a simple process with Zocdoc. To find the best-rated physical therapists near you, just visit the Zocdoc website and enter your location, preferred date, insurance plan, and the healthcare provider you wish to seek (physical therapists, in this instance). You can further filter your search by gender, hospital affiliations, languages spoken, and whether or not a provider treats children.
You can also learn critical information about healthcare providers before booking appointments. Click on their dedicated profiles to read about their education, expertise, experience, practice name, board certification, awards, and recognitions. Further, you can also read the reviews and ratings of past patients to get to know a provider better.
Booking appointments with a physical therapist near you on Zocdoc is simple, secure, and 100% free!
Statistics about arthritis in North Carolina and the US
As of 2022, 27.3% of adults in North Carolina had arthritis. About 8.3% of adults aged 18-44 had arthritis. Moreover, approximately 31% of females and 23.4% of males had arthritis in North Carolina.
Around one-quarter of American adults, about 58.5 million people, have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Women are more likely to experience this condition than men, at 23.5% and 18.1%, respectively. People with poorer health conditions were found to be more prone to arthritis than those with excellent/very good health (40.5% vs. 15.4%). However, physical activity benefitted those meeting exercise recommendations and had a lower prevalence of arthritis (18.1%) than the insufficiently active or inactive group (23.1% and 23.6%, respectively).
Sources
WebMD
Stanford Medicine
Verywellhealth
America’s Health Rankings
Centers for Disease and Control Prevention
The College of St. Scholastica
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