Pros And Cons Of Being A Physical Therapist

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my life goal to help as many people I can. I have moved around in many different areas of the medical field, but no career had caught my eye as much as physical therapy. As an athlete, I have been in and out of the physical therapist’s office for a majority of my life. Each time I have went I could not help but be beyond grateful for what these people have done for me; they have given me the ability to play the sport I love despite all the hiccups. Physical therapy is a dynamic field within the field of medicine because as a physical therapist one can make a difference in the lives of his or her patients, enjoy job security, and enjoy a rewarding and personally satisfying career.

Every athlete knows when they hear that dreadful popping sound from their knee that they probably tore their ACL. Hearing the words, ACL tear, how can one not be upset and depressed? An ACL tear can side line athletes from 6 months to 12 months or more. This can take a toll on one’s psychical and psychological well-being but with a strong support group, positive attitude, and great work ethic, athletes can get back on the court doing what they love.

Seiler says her favorite part of being a Physical Therapist is having a relationship with the patients she works with because she gets to see them normally for a longer period and having the satisfaction when you see that you helped someone in a positive way. Although, some patients can be aggravating when improvement is not seen. Often this is because patients fail to do their home program. On an average day she sees about seven to eight patients one every hour. She enjoys the pace that the clinic she is currently at because often other places have you see more patients in shorter amounts of time. Some places have more patients in secessions of 30 minutes with a Physical Therapy Assistant and will only see the Physical Therapist for short amount of time. Seiler believes with more time she is able to build a relationship and gain a better understanding of how to explain things to patients as well as what works well for them. It also allows the patient to trust the therapist and keeps them complying with doing the exercises. The other

With the job outlook of the physical therapy field being expected to grow by 34 percent by 2024, faster than the average occupation, the average annual wage at a whopping $84,020, paid sick and vacation days and the flexible work environment, this seems like the perfect profession to enter. Having a career in physical therapy can be very rewarding because a physical therapist gets to watch as his or her patients improve every appointment through treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in this profession. There are many disadvantages, and knowing these will help anyone interested in this field have a better understanding of how tough pursuing a career in this field can be. Being a physical therapist can be a rewarding experience and have amazing benefits. However, it is important to be aware of the disadvantages: the extreme amount of education, physical demands, emotional demands and the continuation of education requirements.

Physical therapy takes a more direct pathway towards a more specific problem with the human body. Physical therapy is a rehabilitation that works towards a goal of helping patients maintain, improve, or recover their physical abilities, most often times after an accident causing traumatic injury or arthritis (Mayo School of Health Sciences). Patients of a physical therapist often come in solely for the purpose of regaining their movement, not the health aspect involved behind it. Most patients of this therapist have suffered sports injuries, traumatic accidents, over even simply a problem of weakening with age such as those who suffer arthritis or other weakening of the joints and muscles. With step by step sessions focusing purely on strengthening the muscles and joints required to perform the movement functions, the patients rebuild their way from movement with pain, to no pain or suffering involved in everyday activities. When a patient begins therapy, they more or less begin with baby steps such as stretches and hydrotherapy to allow the body to relearn the movements without pain (What is Physical Therapy?). As the patient increases in strength

ACL injuries used to be seen as career ending injuries 50 years ago, however, throughout the years with the advancement in technology aiding treatment and rehabilitation procedures. Yet they are still sever and take months to recover. This is because of the precise location of the ligament within the knee joint. Resulting in no blood clot formation within the joint as a consequence scar tissue will not form and the tissue will just be filled with uncontrolled blood leading to swelling an pain within the joint (ACL reconstruction Oxford university hospital, 2017) which is why it takes between 9 to 12 months for recovery. With an ACL injury, other injuries often follow, namely MCL injuries and meniscal lesions which in time would likely lead to the patient contracting osteoarthritis due to it being a degenerative disorder consequently resulting from the meniscal and

This article is a systematic review, meaning it is an overview comparison of multiple other articles that involve specific studies being done on the participants. Based on the results of this article, it is unclear if psychological interventions are beneficial to athletes after ACL surgery. Visual imagery allowed for physical function improvement, but not an improvement in overall health-related quality of life. It also decreased re-injury anxiety. Guided imagery and relaxation decreased pain significantly, and increased rehab self- efficacy. Although these are all positives, there is also a negative effect to all of the psychological interventions mentioned above. More studies need to be done to give an accurate interpretation as to if psychological interventions prove to be overall beneficial for postoperative ACL individuals. This information could be helpful for any healthcare professional who is attempting to use psychological rehab techniques because if the methods are not working, it might be time to consider different options for that aspect of

Physical therapy has come a long way in the last couple of decades, literally transforming the way pain, functional limitations and recovery from surgery is treated. But just as with any other healthcare provider, it’s the people behind the front door - and their treatment philosophy - which makes the critical difference in the patient experience.

These career professionals work in various locations whether it be in a hospital, rehab clinic, at a school, or for a professional athletic team. No matter the location, each and every Physical Therapist are trained in the same manner as everyone else. Their jobs are to make sure people don’t get hurt, or if they do get hurt, helping the patient or person recover as swiftly as possible. Whether the recovery takes days, weeks, or months, the Physical Therapist will not give up until they can find a suitable and reliable treatment option that their patient can follow for a quick recovery. However, being a Physical Therapist is no easy or cheap job.

When they get injured, they often wonder why and what exactly is going on. This is a critical part in whether the article will recover in the right timeframe. Diagnosing the athlete’s injury will also soothe or stress them on a mental level depending on what type of person they are. Depending on their mental state, this will determine if they understand their injury and how it happened. Further details into the injury will sometimes help the athlete and their parents cope with their injury because most athlete’s don’t know how to explain what happened to them. Once the physical therapist helps you figure out why you got injured, they will teach you exercises and techniques related to your injury. These exercises/techniques will help the athlete reduce pain. Whether they have a sprained knee or torn meniscus, every injury is different and everyone’s rehab plan is different than the next. There is a wide variety of injuries and physical therapy that helps the athlete focus on their injury then tries to strengthen that injury. According to Jennifer Robinson, M.D. of WebMD, “Physical therapy is like a super-focused type of workout (Physical Therapy for Chronic Pain). In some cases, “if physical therapy helps you eliminate pain or heal from an injury, surgery may not be needed” (10 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help). “Physical therapist can help these patients control pain, often reducing

Physical and occupational therapists have the opportunity to improve someone’s life. Even though both jobs are improving someone’s life, they treat each patient’s individual problems differently and with various techniques. Physical and occupational therapists do not only need to know how to treat the patient’s problem, but they need to be able to work around schedules and understand the problems the patient is facing. Both jobs need to be able to relate to the patient on a personal level making a huge difference in their life whether it is a small step such as hold a pencil or walking again. Physical therapists help to restore function and mobility for everyday life. Occupational therapists help someone go about doing daily activities

Furthermore, it can also be emotionally demanding due to patients not recovering as quickly as you’d thought. Patients can become frustrated and depressed with their lack of progress which can further take a toll on emotional stress. All inclusive, a career in physical therapy can be rewarding despite its

Patients may experience satisfaction with a healthy respect for their physical therapist. When patients know someone cares about them, they are more motivated to work for recovery and self-care and the recovery outcome for a patient is more favorable. The therapist experiences a renewed sense of meaning and fulfillment.

The physical therapy profession is concerned with treating individuals of all ages. In the future, I plan on being able to comfort individuals undergoing physical therapy by being able to use my compassionate nature, caring, understanding, and the expertise that I will gain, while serving as their physical therapist. In doing the previously mentioned things, I hope to be considered as an important asset to society. I believe that people will be able to increase their viability by seeking my assistance.

Beyond the educational requirements for physical therapists are the many other attributes that are needed to be successful. A career as a physical therapist requires a lot of studied skills, personal characteristics and physical fitness. A physical therapist should enjoy working with people and helping others. An ability to listen to patients and understand is important to success. Patients are often a victim of a traumatic experience, injury or are afflicted by a debilitating disease. The emotional distress can often be as trying as the physical dysfunction. (Kottler 11) Communicating and teaching skills are needed to help patients learn new movements and exercises to practice on their own. Physical therapists help patients set goals, regain and strengthen muscles and flexibility. Helping a patient find confidence in the program helps them to