Sarah Frydrych Griffith

Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles. PTs: 1.Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. 2.Restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality of life as it relates to movement and health. 3.Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries. 4.Treat conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems. 5.Address the negative effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors as they relate to human performance. 6.PTs provide care for people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes. State licensure is required in each state in which a PT practices.

(1)Physical therapist assistants are skilled health care providers who are graduates of a physical therapist assistant associate degree program accredited by an agency recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education or Council on Postsecondary Accreditation, who assists the physical therapist in providing physical therapy. The supervising physical therapist is directly responsible for the actions of the physical therapist assistant. The PTA performs physical therapy procedures and related tasks that have been selected and delegated by the supervising physical therapist. Duties of the PTA include assisting the physical therapist in implementing treatment programs, training patients in exercised and activities of daily living, conducting treatments, and reporting to the physical therapist on the patient's responses. In addition to direct patient care, the PTA may also perform such functions as patient transport, and clinic or equipment preparation and maintenance. Currently more than half of all states require PTAs to be licensed, registered or certified. (2) An individual who works under the supervision of a physical therapist to assist him or her in providing physical therapy services. A physical therapy assistant may, for instance, help patients follow an appropriate exercise program that will increase their strength, endurance, coordination, and range of motion and train patients to perform activities of daily life.