Types of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy focuses on treating injuries and disorders through physical methods. Physical therapy is an emerging science with immense benefits and is likely to grow in the coming years. Today, physical therapy is not only confined to sportsperson and it is being widely practiced in America in treating patients who suffer from joint pain, ligament tear, bone dysfunction etc. Some of the common methods used in physical therapies are physical exercise, manual therapy, hot and cold treatments, ultrasound heating and hydrotherapy. Let us take a look at the various branches of physical therapy.

Physical Therapy - Types

Below are the five different types of physical therapy according to the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists.

• Orthopedic physical therapy: This type of physical therapy is used in the outpatient department of hospitals where the patient may visit the doctor on a daily or a weekly basis. It is practiced in sportspeople and patients who have recently met with some kind of accident. It focuses more on the musculoskeletal system, that is related to joints, tendons, ligaments etc.
• Geriatric physical therapy: This type of physical therapy focuses on the ailments related to the aging population. Some of the common problems old people face are Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, osteoporosis etc. In geriatric therapy, the doctor mainly focuses on restoring the mobility that may be affected by illness.
• Neurological physical therapy: As the name suggests, neurological therapy concerns with neurological dysfunctions like Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke. Neurological therapy takes longer as it is specifically designed for people who need progressive recovery options.
• Cardiovascular and Pulmonary physical therapy: This therapy focuses on ailments related to both heart and lungs. Patients who have had a surgery recently or are facing difficulty in breathing are mainly treated through this type of physical therapy to increase their endurance.
• Pediatric physical therapy: This type of treatment focuses on infants, young children and adolescents. Children in which mobility related health issues have been detected early on are treated through this therapy by teaching them certain exercises to improve their normal mobility.

These were the widely practiced physical therapies in the world. As we can see it takes a specialist to ensure that the therapy is carried out in the right way. So let us take a look at some of the degrees required to be a physical therapist.

Physical Therapy Degrees

To start a career therapy, one needs certain qualifications. Let us take a look at the requirements to become a physical therapist.

• Physical Therapy Assistant Associate's Degree: One needs to study basic medical science and earn a 2-year associate's degree in physical therapy assisting to start practicing.
• Direct Entry Master's: These programs are designed for students who already have a bachelor's degree in some other fields. This degree takes around 2-3 years to complete with students having the opportunity to have on-job clinical practice in the last year. Apart from these two degrees the other known degrees are Direct Entry Doctorate and Transitional DPT.

Physical Therapy Jobs

Physical therapists normally hold a license and a Doctorate and physical therapy jobs are both rewarding and highly sought after. Physical therapists need to be sensitive and caring as their job also involves making the patients feel positive about themselves. Some of the types of physical therapist jobs are physical therapy assistant, pediatric physical therapists, physical therapy tech jobs etc. The physical therapy assistant salary generally varies between $45,000 and $84,000 in the US as per the reports of 2010. The job also provides numerous opportunities for career growth with experience.

Physical therapy has evolved as a great alternate to surgery and medication. We know that there is a bit of apprehension before going for a therapy, so we always advise you to consult your doctor as he/she is aware of your medical history. So, this was some information about the types of physical therapy. I hope this article will be useful to you in case you ever plan to undergo this therapy or take it as a profession.