Most of you may not know what a Physical Therapist does or is. I believe that we, as a profession, have done a poor job of informing the general public about our expertise and extensive educational and clinical training. The American Physical Therapy Association has made a big movement in getting us to where we are today, but there is much more work that needs to be done by PT’s to make a name and to become the primary care providers of choice for physical rehabilitation, prevention, education, and wellness. This is stated in our APTA Vision 2020, which I invite you to read in the links below.
The best way to simply explain what I do as a Physical Therapist in my terms: I am a specialist in physical medicine who advises patients with minor or serious physical pain and creates solutions for the patients. I perform functions that include, but are not limited to, the prescription of exercises for muscles, joints, capsules, ligaments, and bone pain; give strategies for proper movements with walking or functional tasks; educate you about your body and the way it should move; recommend assistive equipment; and refer out to the correct medical discipline if it is not within my scope of knowledge. Lastly, my favorite, I seek to provide supportive and useful services that last in your memory.
Related Links:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm
Wikipedia Information on Physical Therapy
The Free Dictionary's Definition
APTA Vision 2020