Physical Therapy: A Fast-Growing Career Industry

Physical therapy is a great line of work to get into if you love to help people. A Physical therapist works above physical therapist assistants and aides. They provide physical therapy in the form of services that are designed to improve mobility, help with pain management, and prevent re-occurring pain. Many patients need physical therapy, these include people who have been injured in an automobile accident or hurt at work, head injuries, back and neck pain, and much more.

A physical therapist assistant works underneath the aide of a licensed physical therapist. Jobs of an assistant include, but are not limited to, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, massages of the body, mobility exercises, hot and cold baths, and traction. The assistant usually records the patient's responses to treatment and handles the most amount of paperwork. A physical therapy aide can work under wither the therapist or the assistant, or both. The aide is more responsible for the upkeep of the treatment facility, the organization of items for treatment, being available to help move or lift a patient, and much more. An aide does not need to be licensed by the state, and can actually be taught on the job training. therefore, an aide is not permitted to perform any clinical tasks. Most aides jobs also involve a lot of clerical tasks, ordering supplies, and filling out insurance forms.

A physical therapist usually works daylight hours, generally a "9 to 5" job. However, the hours may vary according to the clinic, hospital, or facility they work for. Many places have weeknight and weekend hours to accommodate their patients needs. Involvement in this job will require some degree of lifting, sometimes heavy, constant activity, and long periods of standing. It is recommended to be physically fit yourself to handle the demands of this demanding and sometimes tiring job.

Physical therapist assistants and aides held around101,000 jobs in the year 2004. Physical therapist assistants held about 59,000 jobs, physical therapist aides held about 43,000 jobs. It is a fast- growing field.