Physical Therapists

Physical Therapists typically perform the following tasks: • Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients. • Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention. • Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer. • Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home. • Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit. • Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program. • Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling. • Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions. • Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data. • Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel. • Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required. • Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation. • Provide information to the patient about the proposed intervention, its material risks and expected benefits, and any reasonable alternatives. • Provide educational information about physical therapy or physical therapists, injury prevention, ergonomics, or ways to promote health. • Inform patients and refer to appropriate practitioners when diagnosis reveals findings outside physical therapy. • Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals. • Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet or infrared lamps, or ultrasound machines. • Refer clients to community resources or services. • Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices. • Evaluate, fit, or adjust prosthetic or orthotic devices or recommend modification to orthotist.