Who is a physical therapist?
A physical therapist (PT) diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the mobility and balance of the human body. Their area of expertise includes helping people manage illness or injuries hampering the following:
- Musculoskeletal system (bones and muscles)
- Neurological system (brain, spine, and nerves)
- Cardiopulmonary system (heart and lungs)
- Integumentary system (skin)
People of all ages and in any phase of life can benefit from visiting a physical therapist near them. Some people seek the guidance of a physical therapist to improve their health, while some may choose to avoid surgery for minor cases. Physical therapists also educate them on different procedures and lifestyle habits to prevent developing future issues. They work in various settings, including hospitals, long-term care and athletics facilities, schools, and clinics.
Successful physical therapists have effective communication and problem-solving skills. It helps them know patients' needs and curate an ideal treatment plan while considering their patients' interests.
A physical therapist's routine duties include:
- Diagnosing conditions and ascertaining levels of functioning of particular body parts by observing their balance, motion, and ability to perform tasks
- Addressing patient concerns and tracking progress
- Using treatment methods like electrical stimulation machines or kinesthetic tape to provide relief to patients
- Assisting patients by providing supportive devices like a crutch or cane
- Creating and executing arrangements to discharge patients from care when appropriate
Conditions that physical therapists treat
Physical therapy treats people with injuries, disabilities, or other health issues affecting the body's overall functioning. A physical therapist might be able to assist you with the following:
- Foot and ankle injuries like foot fractures or pain, ankle ligament tears, and sprains
- Hip conditions like fractures and labral tear
- Joint replacement like hip, knee, and shoulder replacement
- Knee conditions like knee and ligament injuries, knee meniscus tear, and patellofemoral syndrome
- Post-operative cancer care
- Shoulder conditions like frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tear, dislocated shoulder, shoulder fracture, impingement, and separation
- Spine conditions like chronic back pain, lumbar spine, cervical spine or neck conditions, low back pain, sacroiliac (S.I.) joint pain
- Sports injuries like repetitive motion injuries that may be due to overuse, bursitis, tendonitis, running injuries, stress fractures, shin splints
- Sports performance improvement
- Headaches
- Women's health issues like osteoporosis and pelvic floor strengthening
Educational qualifications of physical therapists
A person must complete a physical therapy program to practice as a physical therapist. They must earn a bachelor's degree in physical therapy and a Ph.D. program. Alternatively, they may enroll in a six-year physical therapy program, including an undergraduate and a doctoral degree, where they earn a bachelor's degree and gain clinical experience in physical therapy. After completing their college studies, they get the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) title.
Once their doctoral program is complete, some physical therapists enroll in a residency or fellowship program. It offers them mentorship and further training and also enables them to specialize and gain experience in a particular field, such as:
- Oncology (cancer)
- Cardiovascular care (heart) and pulmonology (lungs)
- Geriatrics (elderly health)
- Orthopedics (bone, joint, and spinal issues)
- Neurology (brain health)
- Sports medicine
- Clinical electrophysiology
- Pediatrics (children's health)
Although certification is not essential, it opens up more prospects for physical therapists. A qualified physical therapist near you must have a doctoral degree in physical therapy, have at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience, and pass a certification exam to become board-certified.
What are the various kinds of physical therapy?
Physical therapy can be carried out in varied ways to cater to every patient's diverse physical well-being needs. It is pivotal in helping patients regain their regular body movements, and thanks to technological advancements, its efficacy has only been rising. However, the core principles and types of physical therapy have remained consistent. Here are six types of such treatments that you can opt for based on your particular needs:
- Neurological physical therapy: This specialized form can help patients recover from neurological conditions like Alzheimer's disease, strokes, and spinal and brain injuries. It employs gradual, mild physical exercises to enhance mobility and coordination, significantly improving the patient's autonomy.
- Occupational physical therapy: This therapy focuses on work-related activities. Physical therapists often prescribe it after non-accidental workplace injuries. It can also be carried out as a best practice in general, in occupations that can be hard on the body. For example, through physical therapy, manual laborers can be taught to use proper lifting techniques, emphasizing using the knees rather than the back. This therapy enhances core and upper body strength and promotes overall physical well-being as well.
- Pediatric physical therapy: Pediatric physical therapy addresses the unique growth and mobility needs of infants, toddlers, and adolescents. It deals with various issues like genetic conditions, congenital disabilities, injuries, limb disabilities, and trauma to the head. Early intervention through pediatric physical therapy is essential for healthy development.
- Geriatric physical therapy: This type of therapy addresses mobility and movement issues in the elderly, mitigating problems related to conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and certain cancers. It employs exercises to maintain fitness and alleviate pain, ensuring a more active and pain-free lifestyle.
- Hand physical therapy: This therapy primarily targets the upper arm and hand, assisting patients recovering from arm injuries or arthritis. It involves hand exercises to restore the full range of motion.
- Rehabilitative physical therapy: This therapy focuses on post-surgery recovery, particularly after major surgeries. It commences in the hospital and continues at home. Mild exercises are used to regain strength and reduce pain, restoring full mobility.
Despite their differences, these various forms of physical therapy offer patients a path to recovery and better physical well-being.
What happens in a physical therapy session?
Typically, doctors and other healthcare providers refer patients to physical therapists.
A therapy session usually begins with a physical examination to better understand your problem. The physical therapist studies your walk, balance, muscle strength, and range of motion. Following that, they could incorporate a combination of the following into your treatment plan:
- Exercising
- Stretching
- Using different equipment
- Other hands-on techniques like soft-tissue massage, joint manipulation and mobilization, and friction massage
The aim is to restore functionality by working on movement and increasing motion range in particular body parts. Regular physical therapy sessions can minimize your need for medical prescriptions, surgery, additional physical therapy, or all three.
Physical therapists use hands-on massage to mobilize the inactive muscles, joints, and soft tissues, promoting blood flow and reducing pain. Your therapist may assist you in moving your joints and muscles with the help of some stretches to increase your range of motion and improve flexibility. Additionally, they use their interpersonal and motivational skills to help you progress with the treatment with faith and confidence.
How do you find a qualified physical therapist near you in Saint Petersburg, Florida?
Are you looking for pain management, mobility, and muscle-strengthening therapies? A physical therapist can be the ideal match for you. The first step is determining which physical therapy subspecialist can help with your condition or injury. Once you have done that, locating such in-network professionals can take time and effort. This is where Zocdoc comes to your rescue!
Register for a free Zocdoc account and enter the specialty in the search bar to get started. Our advanced search criteria, including symptoms, doctor specialties, location, date, and time, will help narrow your search. Afraid of the treatment cost? Worry not! Zocdoc allows you to enter your insurance provider and plan to locate doctors who accept it. If you need help with your plan details, use the Zocdoc insurance detector to identify your insurance.
The results page will list all the providers in your vicinity. Every professional on Zocdoc has a personal profile that is unique to the individual. You can click on it to see their educational qualifications, specialization, services offered, interests, the language they speak, gender, and other crucial details. You can also read past patients' verified ratings and reviews on the provider's profile, which can help make an informed decision. Depending on availability, some providers may take appointments on the weekends or after office hours. Some physical therapists may also provide video consultations. Look for a purple video icon on the provider's profile to book an online consultation.
Booking appointments with a physical therapist near you on Zocdoc is simple, secure, and free!
Statistics related to physical therapy in Florida, USA
The U.S. Department of Labor presents reports on currently active physical therapists in the USA and Florida. The figures for the same remained at around 238,800 in 2021 in the nation. Meanwhile, Florida had about 14,830 physical therapy professionals in 2020.
A 2022 research article published on Frontiers mentions the prevalence of lower back pain in Florida and the challenges the patients face. Almost 84% of adults had low back pain (LBP). While physical therapy can help combat it, several factors were found to affect a person with LBP's ability to get physical therapy care in Florida. Three main aspects that may function as barriers are:
(a) Logistical limitations (access to childcare, location of residence)
(b) Amount of time devoted to the therapy
(c) Frequency of the patient's activities
The Florida Department of Health says that accidental injuries are the fourth most common cause of death in Florida after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. This data is primarily for people aged between 1 and 44. In 2019, Florida's age-adjusted injury rate for all injuries was nearly 9% higher than the national average. For accidental injuries, Florida's injury rate was about 12.57% higher than the national average and 5.66% higher for injuries resulting from violence.
Sources
WebMD
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Stanford Medicine
Verywell Health
ONet OnLine
Frontiers
Florida Department of Health
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Med1Care
