A physical therapist can help an older person increase mobility.
A physical therapist helps people with limited mobility increase their strength, endurance, and functionality. To become a kinesiotherapist, intensive study in kinesiology, which is the science of human movement, is required. Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics, focuses on how the human body moves and functions. This is not to be confused with Applied Kinesiology, a controversial alternative medicine practice used in chiropractic.
A physical therapist can train someone on how to use your prosthetic leg.
Kinesiotherapy is a health-related career. Allied health professionals are not medical professionals such as doctors or nurses. No medical license is required to become a physical therapist. However, these positions are necessary to keep a health care system running smoothly. Health-related professions also include physician assistants and midwives, as well as radiologists and pharmacists.
A physical therapist can provide aquatic therapy.
While different countries vary in their accreditation programs for people who want to become physical therapists, most North American physical therapists have at least a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. There is no license requirement for this field in the United States, but registration is required. There is also an exam to assess the practical knowledge of each registrant. An understanding of biomechanics, anatomy, and physiology is necessary to become a physical therapist. The physical therapist then takes these concepts and relates them to human health, society, and quality of life.
Deciding to become a physical therapist means working with the public and applying the principles of human kinetics to your patients. Most work is done in a medical setting, such as a hospital or rehab clinic. The job description combines teaching patients about their body mechanics while also mentoring them as they reach their full mobile potential. Physical therapy treatments may include therapeutic exercises, aquatic therapy, or prosthetic rehabilitation. Other treatment options include home exercise therapy, driver training, and geriatric rehabilitation.
Patients who see a physical therapist may only do so after receiving a prescription for treatment from a qualified medical professional. This usually happens after the patient has suffered an acute state of illness or injury. Physical therapy patients must be in a medically stable condition and mentally prepared to regain lost functionality. They are evaluated and a course of treatment is determined to restore physical well-being.
Physical therapy patients may include cancer patients in remission, recent amputees, or people experiencing a stroke. For example, a physical therapist may treat an elderly man who has lost some function on his right side due to a stroke. Therapy may consist of therapeutic exercises to regain strength or ambulation training to improve gait. On the other hand, an amputee may see a physical therapist for training in the use of their new prosthetic leg.