Physical therapists help patients relieve pain, increase mobility and overcome physical impairments through various techniques. To become a physical therapist, one must earn a master’s degree, pass state and national exams, and work with patients from all walks of life. They must be sensitive to patients’ physical and emotional needs and specialize in areas such as sports physiotherapy, gerontology, and neurology. Their goal is to improve patients’ physical well-being using various therapies.
A physical therapist is a medical professional who helps patients relieve pain, reduce swelling, increase mobility and overcome physical impairments. The physical therapist does this through the use of a variety of techniques, including stretching, thermotherapy, cold packs, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound. Patients who have suffered an injury or are suffering from an illness that affects the patient’s ability to easily move their body benefit from the attention of a physical therapist. If a person wants to become a physical therapist, he or she must earn a master’s degree from an accredited college that offers a physical therapy program. After passing state and national exams, the would-be physical therapist becomes licensed in the field.
When a person decides to become a physical therapist, he is required to take basic courses in college such as physics, biology, chemistry and psychology. In addition to these subjects, a physical therapy student must take specialized courses such as neuroanatomy, human growth and development, biomechanics, therapeutic procedures, and other courses specific to physical therapy. Anyone looking to become a physical therapist can expect to work with patients from all walks of life. Among the types of patients that a physiotherapist can treat include patients with cerebral palsy, patients with head trauma, people suffering from fractures, patients with arthritis, and others who need to relieve pain or improve and restore mobility.
Physical therapists must deal well with the public as they work closely with patients on a daily basis. They review patients’ medical history and measure strength, flexibility, and range of motion in their patients. After determining each patient’s needs, physiotherapists devise effective treatment plans tailored to individual patients’ needs.
A person who wants to become a physical therapist usually works in a hospital or office. The physiotherapist may choose to specialize in a number of areas including sports physiotherapy, gerontology, gynecology/obstetrics, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics or degenerative diseases. Regardless of the area of expertise chosen by the physiotherapist, he or she must be sensitive to the physical and emotional needs of every patient who walks through the door. For example, many patients who visit a physical therapist have been injured by accidents and may feel discouraged and demotivated. The physiotherapist’s job is to encourage these patients, realizing the physical and emotional limits of each patient.
A physical therapist’s goal is to relieve pain and restore or improve range of motion in patients. Using a variety of therapies to reduce swelling and improve flexibility, the physical therapist strives to improve the physical well-being of people who suffer from injury or debilitating illness. Thermal therapy, stretching exercises, cold compresses and other physical therapy treatments are tools used to improve the quality of life of patients who seek the services of a competent physical therapist.
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