Hope Schuster 1 Hope Schuster Mr.

Duerr English 10 10/4/11 Physical Therapy Physical Therapy helps many people with injuries today. It gets them back to being able to do what they love, whether that is sports or even just being able to walk. Did you know that Physical Therapy is also called Physiotherapy? There is so much to talk about Physical Therapy but I have three specific topics that I would like to talk about. They are, The History of Physical Therapy, The Purpose of Physical Therapy, and Types of Physical Therapy. The History of Physical Therapy is actually quite interesting. Hippocrates and Galenus are believed to be the first to practice Physical Therapy in 460 B.C. They would use hydrotherapy and manual therapy techniques, which are increasing range of motion, cracking joints, and massage. The earliest documented Physical therapy was by Per Henrik Ling, who is known as The Father of Swedish Gymnastics in 1813. He used massage, manipulation and exercise. In 1887, Physical Therapists in Sweden were certified by Swedens National Board of Health and Welfare. In 1894 four nurses from Britain formed the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. In 1913, the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago in New Zealand. In 1914, Reed College in Portland, Oregon graduated reconstruction aides which was what they called todays Physical Therapists. Modern Physical Therapy started by the late 19th century in Great Britain, it was used most in helping patients who got the disease polio. After that American orthopedic surgeons began to help children by hiring women who were trained in massage, physical education and remedial exercise. Physical Therapy became much more common during the First World War; many women practiced it on injured soldiers. The first college of Physical Therapy was at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. In 1921 Mary McMillian

Hope Schuster 2 established the Physical Therapy Association, which is now called the American Physical Therapy Association. It was the first professional association. Today, the association has about 76,000 members (Wikimedia Contributors). The purpose of Physical Therapy is pretty basic; the major goal of it is to get rid of pain and discomfort. The PTs improve your flexibility, reduce pain, improve range of motion, build strength, and ultimately get the patient back to being active, or in some cases able to move body parts. Physical Therapy is known as being the last resort before doing something drastic like surgery. Although it doesnt work 100% of the time, it is effective. I know for a fact that it does help but sometimes you have to keep going back. I have gone to Physical Therapy 4 different times for a reoccurring injury, but every time I went I realized that it was helping me. In the field of Physical Therapy there are 6 specific regions; orthopedic, sports, geriatric, neurological, cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, and pediatric. In the Orthopedic region, the therapists treat injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which is all the muscles, ligaments bones, and tendons, and help people recover from orthopedic surgery. Types of processes they use to speed up recovery are joint mobilization, strength training, hot/cold packs, and also using forms of electric stimulation. In the Sports region, the PTs are called Athletic Trainers because they provide for the care of the Athletes; they can help with minor injuries, prevention, and education for athletes. In the Geriatric region, these PTs help with the issues that come with aging. Some examples are arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimers disease, and hip and joint replacement. The PTs create individualized techniques to help the patient become more active, increase mobility, and reduce their overall pain. In the Neurological region, the PTs work with people who have a Neurological disease or disorder. Some examples are Alzheimers disease, cerebral palsy, Parkinsons disease, brain injury, and stroke. Many of these patients will have problems walking, being able to see, poor balance and loss of their

Hope Schuster 3 independence. The PTs work with the patients in the areas that they have dysfunction. In the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary rehabilitation region, PTs treat patients with a cardiopulmonary disorder or with those who have had a cardiac or pulmonary surgery. They help in getting the patients endurance up and to be able to function independently. In the Pediatric region, PTs help in the early assessment of health problems in young children and adolescents. They treat disorders/injuries that affect the bones, muscles, and joints. Some examples are developmental delays and cerebral palsy. As youve just heard Physical Therapy is a very interesting field of work. It has interesting history, purposes, and types. I hope that I have informed you more about Physical Therapy through this Speech.

Hope Schuster 4 Works Cited Inverarity, Laura. "Types of Physical Therapy." about.com. The New York Times Company, 18 11 10. Web. 4 Oct 2011. <http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/typesofphysicaltherapy/a/typesofpt.htm>. Wikamedia Contributors. "Physical Therapy." Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_therapy>.