Physical Therapist Assistant

1010 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Chapter 3 Applying biomechanics

Have you ever bent down to pick something up or sprinted after your dog because he got loose? Not many people in today’s society pay attention to their body movement. They often take their body’s ability to move normally for granted. A person’s biomechanics are essential to everyday life, without being able to move properly one cannot perform everyday tasks. Unfortunately, there are people who are not able to do so and face many hardships in their life and may be in a lot of pain. Therefore, these people seek professional assistance to help them regain their ability to function normally. Usually, they end up in the care of a physical therapist and his assistant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist assistants “help patients who are recovering from injuries, illnesses, and surgeries regain movement and manage pain.” There is a lot to being a physical therapist, the duties the job requires, the schooling needed to become one, and how much the job pays.
As a physical therapist assistant or “PTA” you must work as part of a team that to provide physical therapy services to patients in need under the supervision of a physical therapist. You will work with doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, and social workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The most important part of the team is, of course, the patient. Without the patient a healthcare provider has no job. A patient can become injured and lose mobility in many ways and some conditions are harder to treat than others and take more time. For example, an injury to the back, which is a common source for pain and immobility, responds very well to physical therapy and is easier to treat. For conditions such as a stroke, the patient may need to r...

... middle of paper ...

... you’re there to help them get back up. I couldn’t imagine the feeling you can get when you see your patient making really good progress and knowing you helped them regain their life. Not only that but the job has decent pay, the schooling isn’t too long, the job outlook is great, and you get the make the lives of people so much better. It may be a lot of work but at the end it can totally be worth it.

Works Cited
"Physical Therapist Assistant." Explore Health Careers. American Dental Education Association, n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
"Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides." Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.
"Physical Therapy Assistants." Ferguson's Career Guidance Center. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
"Physical Therapy." Mayo School of Health Sciences. Mayo Clinic, 25 June 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.

Show More
Related

  • Becoming An Occupational Therapy Assistant Essay

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    Observing therapy assistants in the field and seeing what they do in their jobs was an eye opener for me. Getting to experience on-the-job shadowing helped me to identify the roles of a therapy assistant better than reading or talking to people about the job description. First, I shadowed at Athletico Physical Therapy, an outpatient facility in Festus, MO. Paul Kohler is the Occupational/Hand Therapist that I shadowed during my experience. There were several different injuries that I saw, ranging from people with work related injuries to jamming fingers in machines. After observing Mr. Kohler throughout the day, I got to see him interact with patients and perform activities that helped his patients in their rehabilitation phase of recovery. He told me that the improvements he sees first hand from his patients is rewarding and he feels achieved when he sees patients make steady recoveries. From this experience, I also learned that occupational therapy offers a diverse number of avenues for employment. I was pleased to know that I can specialize in a specific area if I desire to do so in the

    Read More

  • Physical Therapy Assistant Case Study

    1208 Words  | 3 Pages

    The title of physical therapy assistant can be used by a licensed health care provider who performs patient-related activities under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist, according to the Florida Practice Act. The PTA is a technically educated person who assists the physical therapist in the provision of physical therapy. 2. What is the difference between a.. What abbreviations are appropriate and who may or may not use them?

    Read More

  • Becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant

    539 Words  | 2 Pages

    The profession of physical therapist assistant is a demanding and rewarding career. Physical therapist assistants work under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Physical therapist assistants have the pleasure of helping patients regain movement and manage pain caused by injuries, illnesses or surgeries. There are a vast array of subjects to study on the road to becoming a physical therapist assistant. Palliative care, pediatric care and geriatric care, are endearing specialty areas for the physical therapist assistant.

    Read More

  • Physical Therapist Essay

    1345 Words  | 3 Pages

    Physical Therapists assistant may also involve answering phones , writing out insurance paperwork , getting supplies, all work checked by a licensed physical

    Read More

  • Physician Assistant

    813 Words  | 2 Pages

    health care team who, with doctors, provide quality care to patients. In order to do that,

    Read More

  • Physical Therapy

    1641 Words  | 4 Pages

    Educational requirements, opportunities and general demands of the career are only a few of the areas to inquire about in the field of physical therapy. This career is diverse in nature, in that a therapist sees many different ailments ranging from a sprained ankle to rehabilitating someone who has had an amputation. There is a fair degree of difficulty involved in becoming a physical therapist, and due to the high competition involved in entering the various Master’s degree programs as stated earlier, high grades and a positive attitude are very important for success in an interested student’s career. Volunteering is a great way to find out if a person would or would not be interested in entering the practice of physical therapy. This is an exciting career with many opportunities for advancement. This career is also a nice choice for those who become bored with the tedious monotony of a daily routine, since each day is a new experience.

    Read More

  • Family Therapy Essay: A Career In Therapy

    1976 Words  | 4 Pages

    Not only is physical therapy beneficial to the patient, it is also a beneficial career path. you are able to work with patients one on one, be with them throughout treatment. Also you know how much of an impact you are making in their lives. Helping people to attain or regain the ability to walk and carry out daily life can lead to a great feeling of personal satisfaction. You are able to choose from a wide range of locations and work settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, employer settings, and nursing

    Read More

  • Physician Assistant Application Essay

    586 Words  | 2 Pages

    Standing at the starting line of the full marathon I felt anxious and nervous. Not only was I excited to accomplish this goal, but also I was nervous about the difficulty of this task. However, when I crossed the finish line and accomplished this goal, I realized that a new and possibly more difficult goal was about to start. This goal was not only to complete Physician Assistant School but it was to strive to excel in a career as a Physician Assistant in a rural primary care setting. Driven by my intrinsic personal traits of leadership, compassion, and commitment, I am motivated to achieve this goal of excelling in my career as a Physician Assistant.

    Read More

  • Career Essay

    583 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Physical Therapy Careers, Jobs and Training Information - CareerOverview.com." CareerOverviewcom Physical Therapy Careers Jobs and Training Information Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 30.April.2014

    Read More

  • Rotator Cuff Injury: Rehabilitation and Recovery Process

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), “Physical therapists are only professionals who provide physical therapy interventions. Physical therapist assistants are only individuals who

    Read More

  • Essay On Physical Therapy

    1479 Words  | 3 Pages

    Physical therapy is one of the fastest successful occupations growing in the Unites States of America. It is unlike any other occupation in the medical field. Physical therapists care for patients of all ages who have functional problems and disorders. They work to increase a patient’s mobility, prevent further injury, and stabilize the progress of a patients’ health and wellness. The occupation of physical therapy is a very crucial and highly demanded job and will continue to expand in the future.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of American Physical Therapy Association

    1764 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to APTA’s Provision of Physical Therapy Interventions and Related Tasks, 4 Physical therapy aides are any support personnel who perform designated tasks related to the operation of the physical therapy service. The tasks only be performed by the aide under direct personal supervision of the physical therapist, or where allowab...

    Read More

  • Physical Therapy Career Goals

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    A physical therapist does a lot of things to help patients get back to what they normally do day to day before an injury. They do this by coming up with plans that helps to reduce pains and help restore movements and make goals for patients. They help by having a hands-on approach and being able to help with exercises and stretches they also massage muscles to help manipulate them to move. They also use different technology to help with anything that deals with the movement or that would restrict movement such as ultrasounds and electrotherapy.

    Read More

  • Physical Therapy - An Exciting Healthcare Profession

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Physical therapy is a fun and exciting healthcare profession that helps people. It is all about helping other people who have problems with their body, muscles, joints and other parts of their body. Patients includes accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy. Physical therapy will perform an evaluation of your problem or difficulty. They evaluate your problem by performing tests and measures to assess the problem. These tests includes muscle strength, joint motion, sensory and neurological, coordination, balance, observation, palpation, flexibility, postural screening, movement analysis, and special tests are designed for a particular problem. Next, they develop a treatment plan and goals and then manage the appropriate treatment to aid in recovery of a problem or dysfunction. Physical therapists are able to treat their patients by using many different treatments depending on the type of injury. Some of the treatments are electrical stimulation, hot and cold packs, infrared and ultrasound to reduce swelling or relieve pain. These treatments are used to help decrease pain and increase movement and function. Therapeutic exercises instructions will help restore strength, movement, balance, or skill as a guide towards full functional recovery. Physical therapy provides "hands on techniques" like massage or joint mobilizations skills to restore joint motion or increase soft tissue flexibility. They will focus on basic skills such as getting out of bed, walking safely with crutches or a walker, moving specific joints and muscles of the body. Physical therapists treatment includes patient education to teach them how to deal with a current problem and how to prevent the problem in the future. Such documentation is used to track the patient's progress, and identify areas requiring more or less attention. They encourage patients to use their own muscles. Their main goal is to improve how an individual functions at work and home.

    Read More

  • Essay On Physical Therapy As A Career

    2568 Words  | 6 Pages

    They can work in a variety of settings such as nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, physical therapist clinics, sports physical therapist centers, and even schools. It does take a certain type of person to work as a physical therapist. A person interested in this field mus...

    Read More

More about Physical Therapist Assistant

Open Document