What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is the process of assisting an individual to reach his/her highest level of physical function following an injury or illness.

Who is qualified to provide Physical Therapy?

Licensed physical therapists are professionals specifically educated and trained to provide physical therapy.  Training involves a 3-year masters or doctorate degree, beyond the already 4-year bachelors, degree at a credentialed university, during which time physical therapists are educated in the basic health sciences, such as anatomy and physiology, and are taught specific physical therapy assessment and treatment techniques.  This provides the skills necessary in identifying physical limitations and planning suitable recovery programs for individuals with physical limitations.

In order to call ones self a “Physical Therapist” an individual must hold a degree in physical therapy.  Unfortunately, the term “Physical Therapy” is not a protected title and therefore any individual can claim to be providing these health services.  It is therefore very important, to always ensure that physical therapy is being provided by a licensed physical therapist and not someone with lesser qualifications.

How are Physical Therapists Licensed?

Each state in the US has a licensing body most commonly called the State Board of Physical Therapy.  This is the body that develops and enforces the regulations that govern the profession.  The State Board of Physical Therapy have jurisdiction only over Physical Therapists (i.e. those with a degree in physical therapy) but do not regulate the practices of non-physical therapists claiming to provide physical therapy.

It is common practice for a physical therapist to provide his/her licensing number on invoices for services rendered.  This is one way to ensure that physical therapy services are being provided by a licensed physical therapist.  Caution must be exercised however, as some physical therapy facilities have been known to use the license number of a physical therapist who is not actually involved in the treatment of patients.

Principles and Philosophies behind Physical Therapy

Many people have the misconception that physical therapy is synonymous with electrical modalities, or massage, or perhaps exercise.  Physical Therapists use many tools both in the assessment and treatment of injured individuals. The skill of a Physical Therapist lies in his/her ability to assess an individual’s physical limitations, plan a suitable course of action to return this individual to his/her highest level of function, and to implement that plan using a variety of techniques that he/she has been specifically trained to provide.  These techniques may include the use of modalities (ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or biofeedback), therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular reeducation, gait training, and/or manual therapy (joint mobilizations, soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, or massage).

Referring back to the definition of a Physical Therapist, “assist” and “independence” are the key words in this definition. Physical Therapists should “assist”, not “provide for”. Any type of passive treatment techniques should be short term and should eventually be terminated and/or replaced with self-administered techniques. The actual path that a Physical Therapist chooses to move an individual towards independence will vary depending on a number of different factors.

However, there should always be a clear path with an identifiable end point in sight.