Physical Therapist Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistant A physical therapist assistant plays a very important role by providing treatments to patients, under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. They use physical therapy treatment procedures to help improve the mobility and relieve pain and disability caused by disease or injury. Some examples of the patients that call for a physical therapist to assist them include accident victims and persons with disabling conditions, such as, lower back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and cerebral palsy. There are many tasks and treatments preformed to assist the physical therapist. The physical therapist assistant tasks may involve helping the patient exercise or learn how to use crutches or how to use and care for their wheelchair, braces, and/or artificial limbs. Another task is to prepare the patient for a therapy session. In addition, they record the patients’ responses to the treatment and report the outcome to the physical therapist. The preparation and maintenance of the clinic is another task performed by a physical therapist assistant. They may also perform some clerical tasks, such as, ordering supplies, answering the phone, and filling out insurance forms and other paper work. In my opinion, the treatments are the most important and crucial elements performed by the physical therapist and their assistant. Under the supervision of the physical therapist, some treatments that a physical therapist assistant may perform on a patient involve: exercises, massages, electrical stimulation, paraffin baths, hot and cold packs, traction, and ultra sound. To make treatments more helpful and successful the physical therapist and their assistant must have a moderate degree of strength. In some cases, assistants and aides need to lift patients to help move from their bed, wheelchair, exercise equipment, etc. To be successful as a physical therapy assistant you must share at least
Cited: Robert J. Sternberg and Josephine Wilson. “Psychology-In Search of the Human Mind”. Thomson Wodsworth. 2003. Robert Clark. “Anatomy & Physiology-Understanding the Human Body”. Jones and Bartlett. 2003. Career Opportunity: www.CareerBuilder.com Salary Info: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos167.htm PTAP: www.education-portal.com