3 Facts You Didn’t Know About Physical Therapy
on Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Physical Therapy (PT) is a treatment of disease or injury by physical methods including massage, modalities such as ultrasound and heat/ice, manual therapy, as well as exercise. Treatment programs can vary, but at Renew Physical Therapy treatments are one-on-one, hands-on, pain-free, and focuses on the root cause of each patient’s symptoms. Instead of relying on drugs or surgery, this more natural form of self-healing is often used to help improve quality of life and range of motion in patients who have experienced a significant physical set-back.
Here are 3 surprising facts about Physical Therapy.
PHYSICAL THERAPISTS HAVE DOCTORATE DEGREES
Physical therapy is not limited to massage, there is a great deal of evaluation and diagnosing that requires proper education. When physical therapy originally became recognized as a profession, one required a bachelor’s degree to practice. In the 1990s programs transitioned to a Master of Science degree and now in the 21st century the profession has advanced to the doctoral level. To become a physical therapy assistant, an associate degree is required. A physical therapy assistant helps the physical therapist in the treatment of patients but does not perform evaluation techniques.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS TYPES OF PHYSICAL THERAPY
Lumping all physical therapists under one label would be inaccurate and unfair. Like any other form of healthcare, there are several specialties that address different types of injuries and focus on specific areas or parts of the body.
Some of the areas of specialty in physical therapy include:
- Orthopedic and sports rehab
- Pediatrics
- Men’s health
- Women’s health
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Clinical electrophysiology
- Pre- and post-operative care
- Acute care
- Aquatic
PHYSICAL THERAPY IS BOTH REHABILITATIVE AND PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE
Physical therapy provides treatment to relieve pain and restore muscle and joint function, which includes education of patients in home programs to self-rehabilitate conditions. In addition, Renew Physical Therapy instructs patients in behavioral modification and prevention strategies to avoid recurrence or onset of new conditions.
At Renew Physical Therapy, we focus on manual therapy. This means that, rather than attempting to decrease pain by strengthening a painful body part, as conventional physical therapy does, we believe in eliminating pain by improving joint function through mobilization techniques, patient education, and behavioral modification strategies.
Visit our About Us page to learn more about our practice, clinic, and staff. Call us at 503.928.4914 to schedule an appointment.
Renew Your Body, Reclaim Your Life!
