Physical Therapy

Becoming a Physical Therapist Physical therapists help people of all ages to recover from various things on a daily basis. Although they may always have a lot of paperwork to do, and can sometimes work long hours, they are paid fairly well and they receive the satisfaction of helping people which makes this an honorable and rewarding job. Someone that likes to help others would most likely enter this profession. Physical therapists provide services to people that have injuries, disabilities, and functional challenges or limitations. They also rehab people from diseases that have caused problems with functions. They provide tests, evaluations , diagnostics, prognostics, interventions, and anticipated goals (Careers in Health Care 259). The goals help the patient to get better and make them want to try harder. They work with people that have lower back or neck pain, headaches and osteoporosis. They also help rehab people from sports injuries or people that have joint and soft tissue injuries like sprains, strains, hand injuries, fractures and dislocations (Careers in Health Care 260). Treatment goals need to be established, or the patient will not recover much (Encyclopedia 8 and 9). Physical therapists can have PTA’s, or assistants. They clean and prepare the work area for when the next patient arrives for therapy (Careers in Health Care 264). Many people stay in this job for over five years. There is a lot to learn, and a therapist can do this job for life. It also works as a good part time job (Career Cruising 2). Physical therapists work around eight to ten hours a day, which is forty to fifty hours a week (Career Cruising 2). Typically, when a physical therapist arrives at work, they check their voicemail and schedule, and they start to prepare for the first patient. Before lunch, they see about five patients. During lunch they would check their voicemail and email while they eat. They then see about two more patients and then do the paperwork from that day.