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If you injure your neck or back during a physical
activity, who can you turn to for therapy and rehabilitation
treatment? A physical therapy assistant, who works under the direct
supervision of a physiotherapist, will help rescue your body and
through a rehabilitation program, help restore your injured body
part. Physical therapy assistants aid in the implementation of
treatment programs designed to improve or maintain clients'
abilities to function independently.
Physical therapy assistants teach and motivate
patients to learn or improve necessary activities such as walking,
climbing and general mobility. Assistants watch patients during
treatment, and record and report their reactions and progress to
therapists. They fit patients for and teach them to use corrective
equipment, which may be braces or artificial arms and legs or
supportive devices such as wheelchairs.
Physical therapy assistants aid people who have
been injured or ill return to a healthy lifestyle. They also help
those with permanent disabilities try to achieve the highest
possible level of physical function. Their patients include accident
victims, (for example, someone who needs to learn how to walk
again), people with disabling conditions such as arthritis, lower
back pain, body fractures, heart disease, head injuries, and
cerebral palsy.
Physical therapy assistants' duties vary from one
position to another. For example, they may work in out-patient
clinics with clients who have orthopedic problems, in extended care
settings with geriatric clients, or in hospital settings with
patients who have a variety of disorders. Whatever the setting, they
work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists to
help people heal from their injury or function well with their
disabilities. Physical therapy assistants perform all of the same
hands-on work that physical therapists train them to do. The main
difference is that assistants cannot evaluate a patient or prescribe
an exercise routine. Instead, they act on the physical therapist's
instructions for each individual client and work directly with the
patient in a rehabilitative fashion, supervising the progress and
writing notes about each treatment session.
Physical therapy assistants employ numerous
methods, under supervision to treat their patients and get them back
to a state when they were able to move freely and properly. These
rehabilitation techniques include stretching, therapeutic exercises,
massage, hydrotherapy, and manipulations, such as joint
mobilization. Physical therapy assistants teach patients specific
stretches and exercises to perform everyday at home; thereby
allowing the patients to take a more active role in their recovery
and therapy process. They also perform ultrasounds, use microwave
machines, infrared and ultraviolet lamps, and laser equipment.
Physical therapy is the long-term type of
rehabilitation, so assistants must help therapists encourage their
patients to be patient, practice the stretches, attend treatments
religiously. A bone does not heal overnight. Physical therapy
assistants are also health educators, and they teach their patients
about their body so that they can try and prevent future injuries or
pain.
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Entry Level
Salary:
$23,530
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Average Salary:
$36,080
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Maximum Salary:
$48,910
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Interests and Skills
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Physical therapy
assistants must be in good shape, good health and maintain
high physical stamina. They must be excellent communicators
and enjoy helping people. Their interpersonal skills will
include patience and compassion, which is required to work
with sick and disabled people. They generally have good
coordination and manual dexterity, and enjoy solving
analytical health-related problems. Finally, they must be
able to motivate people and teach their patients about
preventative care.
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Typical Tasks
- Accompany
patients to treatment rooms, perform lifts and
transfers, and help them correctly position themselves
- Prepare and
apply hot or cold packs and wax treatments
- Assist with a
patient's exercise activities, such as stretching and
posture re-education
- Assist with
implementing electrotherapy treatments like ultrasound
and electrical muscle stimulation
- Fit braces or
artificial limbs
- Instruct
patients how to use crutches, canes, walkers and
wheelchairs
- Monitor
patients during treatments, individual activities and
exercise classes, and report patient performance
- Perform
postural drainage and vibrations for treatment of
respiratory conditions, and teach deep breathing
exercises
- Prepare
treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by
physical therapists
- Clean physical
therapy equipment and treatment areas, such as changing
and laundering linen
- Perform
clerical tasks such as documenting activities, keeping
track of statistics, maintaining an inventory of
equipment, ordering supplies and equipment, answering
telephones and scheduling appointments
- Physical
therapy assistants work standard, 40- to 50hour
workweeks, but may be required to work some evenings and
weekends to accommodate patients' schedules. The work is
physically demanding so physical therapy assistants must
be in good shape. They work in office and rehabilitation
centers, always indoors.
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Workplaces, Employers and
Industries
- Physical therapy
assistants work in physical therapy clinics, hospitals,
rehabilitation centers, extended care facilities,
schools, nursing homes, sports injury and acupuncture
clinics, rehabilitation divisions of psychiatric
treatment facilities, home care programs, government
health departments and aboriginal health clinics. Some
physical therapy assistants also work for professional
and national sports teams.
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Long Term Career Potential
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Since this field is
fairly specialized, advancement as a physical therapy
assistant may exist in moving to higher pay and seniority
within a clinic or hospital. For some, supervisory or
management opportunities may become available. Work
experience in this occupation may be transferable to other
therapy-related occupations, such as art therapy or athletic
therapy. Physical therapy assistants may also become
physical therapists, with the proper training and education.
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Educational Paths
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In the past, physical
therapy assistants were often trained on the job. Nowadays,
most physical therapy assistants are graduates of
postsecondary therapist assistant programs, offered at
various community colleges. Some assistants also have a
related background in practical nursing or exercise therapy.
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