Role of a Physical Therapist

Physical therapists (PTs) are health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very
oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional
activities in their daily lives.
PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore
function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by
developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.
Physical therapists provide care for people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home
health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes. State licensure is required in each state in
which a physical therapist practices.

The Physical Therapy Profession

Physical therapy is a dynamic profession with an established theoretical and scientific base and widespread clinical applications in
the restoration, maintenance, and promotion of optimal physical function. For more than 750,000 people every day in the United
States, physical therapists:
 Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities.
 Restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality
of life as it relates to movement and health.
 Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result
from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries.
The terms "physical therapy" and "physiotherapy," and the terms "physical therapist" and "physiotherapist," are synonymous.
As essential participants in the health care delivery system, physical therapists assume leadership roles in rehabilitation; in
prevention, health maintenance, and programs that promote health, wellness, and fitness; and in professional and community
organizations. Physical therapists also play important roles both in developing standards for physical therapist practice and in
developing health care policy to ensure availability, accessibility, and optimal delivery of health care services. Physical therapy is
covered by federal, state, and private insurance plans. Physical therapists' services have a positive impact on health-related
quality of life.
As clinicians, physical therapists engage in an examination process that includes:
 taking the patient/client history,
 conducting a systems review, and
 performing tests and measures to identify potential and existing problems.
To establish diagnoses, prognoses, and plans of care, physical therapists perform evaluations, synthesizing the examination data
and determining whether the problems to be addressed are within the scope of physical therapist practice. Based on their
judgments about diagnoses and prognoses and based on patient/client goals, physical therapists:
 provide interventions (the interactions and procedures used in managing and instructing patients/clients),
 conduct re-examinations,
 modify interventions as necessary to achieve anticipated goals and expected outcomes, and
 develop and implement discharge plans.
Physical therapy can be provided only by qualified physical therapists (PTs) or by physical therapist assistants (PTAs) working
under the supervision of a physical therapist.

Source: Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, 2nd Edition (2003)

Job Duties and Tasks for: "Physical Therapist"

1) Provide educational information about physical therapy and physical therapists, injury prevention, ergonomics and ways to
promote health.

2) Refer clients to community resources and services.

3) Plan, prepare and carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve or restore physical
functioning, alleviate pain and prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
4) Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating the data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to
intervention.

5) Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.

6) Administer manual exercises, massage and/or traction to help relieve pain, increase the patient's strength, and decrease or
prevent deformity and crippling.

7) Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.

8) Confer with the patient, medical practitioners and appropriate others to plan, implement and assess the intervention program.

9) Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.

10) Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.

11) Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.

12) Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate
follow-up care or referrals.

13) Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, and
respiratory and circulatory efficiency and record data.

14) Identify and document goals, anticipated progress and plans for reevaluation.

15) Provide information to the patient about the proposed intervention, its material risks and expected benefits and any
reasonable alternatives.

16) Inform the patient when diagnosis reveals findings outside their scope and refer to an appropriate practitioner.

17) Direct and supervise supportive personnel, assessing their competence, delegating specific tasks to them and establishing
channels of communication.

18) Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet and infrared lamps,
and ultrasound machines.

19) Teach physical therapy students as well as those in other health professions.

20) Evaluate, fit, and adjust prosthetic and orthotic devices and recommend modification to orthotist.

21) Conduct and support research and apply research findings to practice.

22) Participate in community and community agency activities and help to formulate public policy.

23) Construct, maintain and repair medical supportive devices.

24) Direct group rehabilitation activities.

Job Activities for: "Physical Therapist"

1) Assisting and Caring for Others -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care
to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

2) Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

3) Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships -- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with
others, and maintaining them over time.

4) Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve
problems.

5) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or
similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

6) Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates
by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

7) Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

8) Analyzing Data or Information -- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down
information or data into separate parts.

9) Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work -- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your
work.

10) Performing General Physical Activities -- Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and
moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

11) Documenting/Recording Information -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or
electronic/magnetic form.

12) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings -- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the
environment, to detect or assess problems.

13) Handling and Moving Objects -- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and
manipulating things.

14) Developing Objectives and Strategies -- Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve
them.

15) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People -- Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

16) Performing for or Working Directly with the Public -- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes
serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

17) Developing and Building Teams -- Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

18) Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards -- Using relevant information and individual judgment to
determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

19) Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be
used.

20) Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information-- Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or
determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

21) Scheduling Work and Activities -- Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Skills Needed for: "Physical Therapist"

1) Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made,
asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

2) Instructing -- Teaching others how to do something.

3) Time Management -- Managing one's own time and the time of others.

4) Speaking -- Talking to others to convey information effectively.

5) Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions
or approaches to problems.

6) Learning Strategies -- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when
learning or teaching new things.

7) Science -- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

8) Active Learning -- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and
decision-making.

9) Monitoring -- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or

take corrective action.

10) Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

11) Service Orientation -- Actively looking for ways to help people.

12) Writing -- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

13) Judgment and Decision Making -- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most
appropriate one.

14) Complex Problem Solving -- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate
options and implement solutions.

15) Coordination -- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

16) Social Perceptiveness -- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

17) Equipment Selection -- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

18) Persuasion -- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Abilities Needed for: "Physical Therapist"

1) Oral Comprehension -- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and
sentences.
2) Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

3) Written Comprehension -- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

4) Inductive Reasoning -- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a
relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

5) Problem Sensitivity -- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the
problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

6) Written Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

7) Deductive Reasoning -- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

8) Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

9) Trunk Strength -- The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or
continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

10) Information Ordering -- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or
set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

11) Speech Recognition -- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

12) Static Strength -- The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

13) Finger Dexterity -- The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp,
manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

14) Near Vision -- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

15) Multilimb Coordination -- The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one
arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

16) Manual Dexterity -- The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp,
manipulate, or assemble objects.

17) Category Flexibility -- The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different
ways.

18) Speed of Closure -- The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

19) Selective Attention -- The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

20) Arm-Hand Steadiness -- The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm
and hand in one position.

21) Stamina -- The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

Knowledge, Experience, Education Required for: "Physical Therapist"

1) Medicine and Dentistry -- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries,
diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive
health-care measures.

2) Therapy and Counseling -- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of
physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 3) Customer and Personal Service -- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This
includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

4) Education and Training -- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction
for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

5) Biology -- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with
each other and the environment.

6) Psychology -- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests;
learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective
disorders.

7) English Language -- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of
words, rules of composition, and grammar.

8) Sociology and Anthropology -- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human
migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Highlights For Physical Therapists

 Employment is expected to increase much faster than average.
 Job opportunities should be good, particularly in acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings.
 Physical therapists need a master’s degree from an accredited physical therapy program and a State license, requiring
passing scores on national and State examinations.
 About 6 out of 10 physical therapists work in hospitals or in offices of physical therapists.

Nature of the Work For Physical Therapists

Physical therapists provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent
physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease.
They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with
disabling conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy.

Therapists examine patients medical histories and then test and measure the patients? strength, range of motion, balance and
coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function. Next, physical therapists develop plans
describing a treatment strategy and its anticipated outcome.
Treatment often includes exercise, especially for patients who have been immobilized or who lack flexibility, strength, or
endurance. Physical therapists encourage patients to use their muscles to increase their flexibility and range of motion. More
advanced exercises focus on improving strength, balance, coordination, and endurance. The goal is to improve how an
individual functions at work and at home.
Physical therapists also use electrical stimulation, hot packs or cold compresses, and ultrasound to relieve pain and reduce
swelling. They may use traction or deep-tissue massage to relieve pain and improve circulation and flexibility. Therapists also
teach patients to use assistive and adaptive devices, such as crutches, prostheses, and wheelchairs. They also may show
patients how to do exercises at home to expedite their recovery.
As treatment continues, physical therapists document the patient’s progress, conduct periodic examinations, and modify
treatments when necessary.
Physical therapists often consult and practice with a variety of other professionals, such as physicians, dentists, nurses,
educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.
Some physical therapists treat a wide range of ailments; others specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics,
sports medicine, neurology, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy.
Work environment. Physical therapists practice in hospitals, clinics, and private offices that have specially equipped facilities.
They also treat patients in hospital rooms, homes, or schools. These jobs can be physically demanding because therapists often
 have to stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, and stand for long periods. In addition, physical therapists move heavy equipment and lift
patients or help them turn, stand, or walk.
In 2006, most full-time physical therapists worked a 40-hour week; some worked evenings and weekends to fit their patients?
schedules. About 1 in 5 physical therapists worked part time.

Job Training / Job Education Requirements for Physical Therapists

Physical therapists need a master?s degree from an accredited physical therapy program and a State license, requiring passing
scores on national and State examinations.
Education and training. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, there were 209 accredited physical therapist
education programs in 2007. Of the accredited programs, 43 offered master?s degrees and 166 offered doctoral degrees. Only
master?s degree and doctoral degree programs are accredited, in accordance with the Commission on Accreditation in
Physical Therapy Education. In the future, a doctoral degree might be the required entry-level degree. Master?s degree
programs typically last 2 years, and doctoral degree programs last 3 years.
Physical therapist education programs start with basic science courses such as biology, chemistry, and physics and then
introduce specialized courses, including biomechanics, neuroanatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of
disease, examination techniques, and therapeutic procedures. Besides getting classroom and laboratory instruction, students
receive supervised clinical experience.
Among the undergraduate courses that are useful when one applies to a physical therapist education program are anatomy,
biology, chemistry, social science, mathematics, and physics. Before granting admission, many programs require volunteer
experience in the physical therapy department of a hospital or clinic. For high school students, volunteering with the school
athletic trainer is a good way to gain experience.
Licensure. All States require physical therapists to pass national and State licensure exams before they can practice. They must
also graduate from an accredited physical therapist education program.
Other qualifications. Physical therapists should have strong interpersonal skills so that they can educate patients about their
physical therapy treatments and communicate with patients? families. Physical therapists also should be compassionate and
possess a desire to help patients.
Advancement. Physical therapists are expected to continue their professional development by participating in continuing
education courses and workshops. In fact, a number of States require continuing education as a condition of maintaining
licensure.
Employment

Physical therapists held about 173,000 jobs in 2006. The number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing physical
therapists because some physical therapists hold two or more jobs. For example, some may work in a private practice, but also
work part time in another health care facility.
About 6 out of 10 physical therapists worked in hospitals or in offices of physical therapists. Other jobs were in the home
health care services industry, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, and offices of physicians. Some physical therapists
were self-employed in private practices, seeing individual patients and contracting to provide services in hospitals,
rehabilitation centers, nursing care facilities, home health care agencies, adult day care programs, and schools. Physical
therapists also teach in academic institutions and conduct research.
Job Outlook / Job Forecast

Employment of physical therapists is expected to grow much faster than average. Job opportunities will be good, especially in
acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings.
Employment change. Employment of physical therapists is expected to grow 27 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than
the average for all occupations. The impact of proposed Federal legislation imposing limits on reimbursement for therapy
services may adversely affect the short-term job outlook for physical therapists. However, the long-run demand for physical
therapists should continue to rise as new treatments and techniques expand the scope of physical therapy practices.
Moreover, demand will be spurred by the increasing numbers of individuals with disabilities or limited function.
The increasing elderly population will drive growth in the demand for physical therapy services. The elderly population is
particularly vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require therapeutic services. Also, the baby-boom generation
is entering the prime age for heart attacks and strokes, increasing the demand for cardiac and physical rehabilitation. And
increasing numbers of children will need physical therapy as technological advances save the lives of a larger proportion of
newborns with severe birth defects.
Future medical developments also should permit a higher percentage of trauma victims to survive, creating additional demand
for rehabilitative care. In addition, growth may result from advances in medical technology that could permit the treatment of
an increasing number of disabling conditions that were untreatable in the past.
Widespread interest in health promotion also should increase demand for physical therapy services. A growing number of
employers are using physical therapists to evaluate worksites, develop exercise programs, and teach safe work habits to
employees.

Job prospects. Job opportunities will be good for licensed physical therapists in all settings. Job opportunities should be
particularly good in acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated. Physical
therapists with specialized knowledge of particular types of treatment also will have excellent job prospects.
Job Demand Forecast
Projections data from the National Employment Matrix

Projected Change, 2006-16

Occupational title SOC Code Employment, 2006 employment, Detailed statistics
2016 Number Percent

29-1123 173,000 220,000 47,000 27

Physical therapists

NOTE: Data in this table are rounded. See the discussion of the employment projections table in the Handbook introductory
chapter on Occupational Information Included in the Handbook.

Earnings / Compensation

Median annual earnings of physical therapists were $66,200 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned
between $55,030 and $78,080. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $46,510, and the highest 10 percent
earned more than $94,810. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of
physical therapists in May 2006 were:
Home health care services $70,920

Nursing care facilities 68,650

General medical and surgical hospitals 66,630

Offices of physicians 65,900

Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists 65,150

Related Occupations

Physical therapists rehabilitate people with physical disabilities. Others who work in the rehabilitation field
include audiologists, chiropractors, occupational therapists,recreational therapists, rehabilitation counselors, respiratory
therapists, and speech-language pathologists.