So I’ve been a licensed Physical Therapist for a bit over a year and a doctor of PT for a bit longer than that. And what I decided to do is poll some folks and ask what they’d like to learn from someone in my position. As it relates to the Move To Adventure blog, physical therapists are often considered movement specialist. What better way to plan and dream of adventure than to talk to a movement specialist. My hope is to branch off of this information and possibly introduce some special guests. To the readers who may have a special expertise, please let me know if you’d like to collaborate. Thank to those who have already done so by asking questions or offering insight.
Today’s Question: Are there any specialties in physical therapy?
When I discuss the education of a physical therapist in future blogs I’ll list out some more about their specialties. A physical therapist can specialize in many areas including Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sports, Wound Management, or as we’ve already had questions about, Women’s. Further education can be a fellowship or doing research to receive their doctorate of Philosophy or PhD.
Physical therapy is an incredibly broad field with many specialties. This is one of the reasons I’ve made such a sacrifice, leaving a previous field that I’d spent many years in, to join this field. One of the best ways to explain how broad the field is may be to share the types of settings physical therapists work in and briefly describe what they may do in those settings.
Hospitals: Physical therapists in hospitals work with patients who have recently been hospitalized or had surgery. They help patients to regain their strength and mobility, and to learn how to manage their pain. Often times they are the first person to help someone walk or get to the bathroom after surgery. This creates a strong bond between patient and PT and can be an incredibly rewarding place to practice PT. Some of my best memories from my clinical experiences as a PT student are in local hospital that specialized in long term acute care. We helped patients recover from strokes, car accidents, domestic violence, amputations, and more. If you’d like to hear more about this setting please ask as I know many PTs who may enjoy answering some questions.
Outpatient clinics: Outpatient clinics are the most common setting for physical therapists to work in. Patients come to outpatient clinics for a variety of reasons, such as to recover from an injury, to manage a chronic condition, or to improve their overall fitness and well-being. I’ll be digging into what types of injuries that are seen in this setting in the future as this is the setting I’ve chosen to work in. The patients I see vary from youth to elderly. Every day I see patients post surgery, athletes, and just those who are deconditioned. As I write this out I think about the stories and faces of those who I am treating right now.
Home health agencies: Physical therapists in home health agencies provide care to patients in their homes. This is often a good option for patients who are unable to travel to an outpatient clinic, or who need more intensive care than can be provided in an outpatient setting. Certainly an adventurous opportunity for PTs as you never know where you will end up. When I did a clinical internship I found many. In fact, on my first day in home health I had a real humbling and interesting experience I can share about when we visited our patient’s home. And there were many more experiences in home health to follow including many patients who have left lasting imprints on me.
Schools: Physical therapists in schools work with students who have special needs or who have been injured. They help students to develop their motor skills and to participate in physical activity. A term that some may have heard is IEP – Individualized Education Plan. Physical therapists help assist in building an IEP for a child based on that child’s physical needs. PTs will often work with sports rehab for college intermural sports. I had the pleasure of spending some time shadowing a PT who did this when I was in college. In fact, PTs are often educators in colleges as well.
Sports and fitness facilities: Physical therapists in sports and fitness facilities help athletes to prevent injuries and to improve their performance. They also work with people of all ages and fitness levels to help them achieve their fitness goals. Some PTs will work for a professional sports team, high school or junior team or a specific branch of sports. For instance follow or know some PTs who get paid by Disc Golf organizations and the Special Olympics.
Workplace environments: Physical therapists in workplace environments work with employees to prevent injuries and to develop ergonomic programs. They also help employees to recover from injuries and to return to work safely. This is an interesting field that often branches into ergonomics, prework screenings and return to work screenings. I spent some time in a clinic that began this way. If given approval by that location I may write about this one day.
Nursing homes: Physical therapists in nursing homes work with residents to improve their mobility and balance, and to prevent falls. They also help residents to maintain their independence and to participate in activities of daily living. Skilled nursing facilities are one of the largest areas of employment for PTs and they also pay very well.
In addition to these traditional settings, physical therapists are also increasingly working in other areas, such as corporate wellness programs, research, and academia.
Lot’s of meat on the bone of this conversation.
I’ll be answering some more questions in future posts such as:
What’s your favorite part of your day as a PT?
Have you run into any outdated practices you weren’t taught in school?
What are the most common types of injuries I see?
How much training have you had?
What are the top exercises and stretches people should do daily to maintain good posture/flexibility?
How can upper back and neck pain be resolved? Can it be resolved using posture?
Is pelvic floor rehabilitation, often needed after child birth, a specialty in PT?
-Daniel
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