Is Physical Therapy for You?

By Dr. Cindy Vaccarino, DPT, PT

Have you suffered an injury? Do you have a disability or an ongoing health condition? Are you between the ages of two and over 65? Then Physical Therapy may be for you.

Some of the most common reasons that a person needs physical therapy range from recovering from a sports injury, improving mobility, managing pain, recovering from a stroke, and preventing falls to treating conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia and lymphedema. Other conditions include carpal tunnel syndrome, cystic fibrosis, back pain, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injuries, or spinal cord injuries.

How can a physical therapist help?
First, a physical therapist will build a customized plan so that his or her patient can reach a goal. That goal may be a combination of pain reduction, increased mobility, range of motion and alignment. Second, this plan is built upon realistic goals. It’s a collaboration between the physical therapist and the patient. This is where communication is key. Information that patients share with their physical therapists helps shape the plan and the goals.

Patients need to be consistent and committed. That means keeping appointments and be willing to do the work necessary, both at the facility and at home. That also means carefully following the directions of the physical therapist. Overdoing it or pushing too hard, too fast can set patients back in their progress.

Patients always ask how long they will need to have treatment. That depends on the extent of the injury or condition. With a plan and goals, the physical therapist and patient work together and can set a realistic timeline.

Patients also like to know what type of equipment and treatments will be needed. Common equipment patients may see and use are treatment tables, resistance bands, exercise balls, stationary bikes, and treadmills. Additionally, patients may also need heat and/or cold therapy, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, traction, light therapy, or kinesiology taping.

There are other benefits of physical therapy. Studies show that physical therapy can lower patient treatment costs by as much as 72 percent. It can also reduce the need for prescription pain drugs by 41 percent.

There are also many benefits to becoming a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant (PTA). A physical therapist has earned a clinical degree and can examine, diagnose, determine treatments and discharge patients. A physical therapist assistant has an associate’s degree and performs treatment under the direction of a physical therapist. Both must pass the national licensure exam.

The demand for physical therapist assistants in Florida through the year 2030 is expected to grow 42 percent, and the average annual salary in state is nearly $65,000.

Selecting the right program to become a PTA is important. Hodges University offers a PTA program that is CAPTE-accredited, the gold standard for a quality program. The first-time pass rate for the PTA licensure for our students is 93 percent. Students can complete this program in less than two years. We are accepting applications for our January 2023 class, and scholarships are available. Learn more at Hodges.edu.

Cynthia Vaccarino, DPT, PT, is the Program Director for the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Hodges University.

Hodges University

239-938-7744 | Hodges.edu