Physical Therapist Assistant

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Recommended: Chapter 3 Applying biomechanics

Have you ever bent down to pick something up or sprinted after your dog because he got loose? Not many people in today’s society pay attention to their body movement. They often take their body’s ability to move normally for granted. A person’s biomechanics are essential to everyday life, without being able to move properly one cannot perform everyday tasks. Unfortunately, there are people who are not able to do so and face many hardships in their life and may be in a lot of pain. Therefore, these people seek professional assistance to help them regain their ability to function normally. Usually, they end up in the care of a physical therapist and his assistant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist assistants “help patients who are recovering from injuries, illnesses, and surgeries regain movement and manage pain.” There is a lot to being a physical therapist, the duties the job requires, the schooling needed to become one, and how much the job pays.
As a physical therapist assistant or “PTA” you must work as part of a team that to provide physical therapy services to patients in need under the supervision of a physical therapist. You will work with doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, and social workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The most important part of the team is, of course, the patient. Without the patient a healthcare provider has no job. A patient can become injured and lose mobility in many ways and some conditions are harder to treat than others and take more time. For example, an injury to the back, which is a common source for pain and immobility, responds very well to physical therapy and is easier to treat. For conditions such as a stroke, the patient may need to r...

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... you’re there to help them get back up. I couldn’t imagine the feeling you can get when you see your patient making really good progress and knowing you helped them regain their life. Not only that but the job has decent pay, the schooling isn’t too long, the job outlook is great, and you get the make the lives of people so much better. It may be a lot of work but at the end it can totally be worth it.

Works Cited
"Physical Therapist Assistant." Explore Health Careers. American Dental Education Association, n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
"Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides." Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.
"Physical Therapy Assistants." Ferguson's Career Guidance Center. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
"Physical Therapy." Mayo School of Health Sciences. Mayo Clinic, 25 June 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.

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