Tuesday 29 November 2011

Places Where Physical Therapists Work

By Dave Lashier


The field of physical therapy is booming and expanding, giving physical therapists more choices in work and employment settings. Even if one out of five practitioners end up working for the hospital, a traditional setting, and assist patients in recovery and rehabilitation, especially after illness or accident or operation, many therapists also pursue the profession in other environments.

Given that the general population is entering the stage of aging, many physical therapists find employment in elderly care facilities and nursing homes. Many patients who need physical therapy in the nursing home environment are geriatric. In addition, senior citizen centers in many states also hire physical therapists. Hospices that have terminally ill residents or patients also hire physical therapists so that the patients may have less discomfort and pain in their final weeks.

School settings may also be considered as a work environment for physical therapists who do not find it difficult working with students and children. For schools that are for children with special learning needs, a physical therapist can serve as teacher and trainer for the kids who need to develop motor skills and flexibility abilities. For high schools that have excellent sports programs for student, a physical therapist may be employed to help athletes. A therapist can guide athletes in bolstering physical abilities, overcoming weaknesses and recovering from sports injuries. Even major and professional sports camps and training establishments hire physical therapists for members and participants for the same services.

There are also physical therapists who work for the many fitness centers, sports clubs and gyms all over the country. Physical therapists also work at rehabilitation and support centers that have patients who have had traumatic injuries or major operations. Some also take on private practice. They do this by working with a private medical or outpatient clinic. These are some enjoyable settings, too.

Home healthcare services is a rapidly growing sector of the healthcare industry and physical therapists can choose to work directly in a patient's own home, providing them with on-site professional care on either a daily or weekly basis. Certain occupations and industries hire physical therapists to work at job sites where employees are in need of ongoing physical therapy treatment and exercises. The choice of a wide variety of work settings continues to be an attractive feature making physical therapy one of the fastest growing healthcare career options. How to become a physical therapist




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