|
|
|
Whether you are looking to find physical therapy classes and physical therapy courses on how to become a physical therapy assistant or aide or you are looking for a physical therapy college where they award physical therapy degrees we have the information you need. Through links and directories you should be able to research physical therapy degree in associates or bachelor programs.
Physical therapist assistants generally have an associate degree, but physical therapist aides usually learn skills on the job.
Physical therapist assistants perform a variety of tasks. Components of treatment procedures performed by these workers, under the direction and supervision of physical therapists, involve exercises, massages, electrical stimulation, paraffin baths, hot and cold packs, traction, and ultrasound. Physical therapist assistants record the patient’s responses to treatment and report the outcome of each treatment to the physical therapist.
Physical therapist aides help make therapy sessions productive, under the direct supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. They usually are responsible for keeping the treatment area clean and organized and for preparing for each patient’s therapy. When patients need assistance moving to or from a treatment area, aides push them in a wheelchair or provide them with a shoulder to lean on. Because they are not licensed, aides do not perform the clinical tasks of a physical therapist assistant.
Physical therapists (PTs) provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy. All States require physical therapists to pass a licensure exam before they can practice, after graduating from an accredited physical therapist educational program.