Physical therapists are professionally trained healthcare practitioners licensed to practice physical therapy. They are specially trained to diagnose and treat conditions that affect your ability to move and perform your daily activities.
Physical Therapist: What Do They Do?
Physical therapists can help people who have injuries or health problems that affect their ability to move including sprains and strains, fracture, stroke, amputation, and arthritis, among others.
Depending on your specific health problem and your overall goals, your physical therapist will create a treatment plan that is made specifically for you to achieve those goals. You will be participating in this creation of your treatment plan.
Your physical therapist will employ several treatment options to address your problems including:
Therapeutic exercises
Functional training
Manual therapy techniques
Assistive and adaptive devices and equipment
Physical agents (ice, heat) and electrotherapeutic modalities (ultrasound)
Home or work assessment and modification where possible
In addition, your therapist may provide you with a home exercise program (HEP) to help you get back to your usual activities much faster. It is important to follow your program according to your therapists instructions. If you have some questions regarding your HEP or treatments provided for you, don't hesitate to ask your PT as he or she will gladly answer whatever questions you may have regarding your therapy.
Remember that you are the most important person in physical therapy. Without your participation and motivation on getting back to your usual activities or achieving your overall goals, physical therapy will be for nothing...