National
| Median wages (2008) |
$35.00 hourly, $72,790 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
173,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Much faster than average (21% or higher)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
68,000 additional employees |
29-1123.00 - Physical Therapists
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and decrease or prevent deformity of patients suffering from disease or injury.
Sample of reported job titles:
Physical Therapist (PT), Staff Physical Therapist, Home Care Physical Therapist, Outpatient Physical Therapist, Pediatric Physical Therapist, Registered Physical Therapist (RPT), Rehabilitation Services Director
Tasks
- Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Plan, prepare and carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain and prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
- Identify and document goals, anticipated progress and plans for reevaluation.
- Administer manual exercises, massage or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, and respiratory and circulatory efficiency and record data.
- Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
- Confer with the patient, medical practitioners and appropriate others to plan, implement and assess the intervention program.
- Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Cognitive or dexterity or perceptual or sensory evaluation or testing products — Digital inclinometer range of motion measurement instruments; Electronic manual muscle testers; Muscle testing equipment |
| Patient care beds or accessories for specialty care — Adjusting tables; Standing tables; Tilt tables |
| Pivotal traction therapy supplies — Cervical pivots; Lumbar pivots; Occipivots; Thoracic pivots |
| Reflex hammers or mallets — Babinski hammers; Neurological hammers; Percussion hammers |
| Work tables or stations or accessories for rehabilitation or therapy — Axial-resistance shoulder wheels; Inversion physical therapy tables; Traction and mobilization physical therapy tables; Upper body ergometers |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Accounting software — MediGraph software |
| Action games — Biometrics video game software |
| Medical software — Advantage Software Physical Therapy Advantage; Clinicient Insight; Hands On Technology TheraWriter.PT; Rehab Documentation Company ReDoc |
| Office suite software — Microsoft Office software |
| Project management software — Recordkeeping software |
