What is Physical Therapy

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Information Bulletin

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical Therapists treat a wide variety of medical conditions. These conditions include: Traumatic Brain injury, Stroke (cerebrovascular accident or CVA), Spinal Cord Injury, Amputations, Cardiac conditions such as a heart attack (Myocardial Infarction), Respiratory conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, as well as most types of musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries result in specific deficits that impair one’s ability to function independently and in a safe environment. Through Physical Therapy, as well as other types of rehabilitation, these deficits can be accommodated for to improve someone’s quality of life.

Physical Therapists focus on various areas of function. Because of the deficits resultant from a specific medical condition, these areas of function may be impaired. Instead of focusing on what an individual cannot accomplish, we look at an individual's strengths, both physical and mental, and create a treatment plan that will allow a person to maximize their function within their current abilities. Some of the areas that physical therapist focus on include:

Strength:

Any loss in muscle strength due to the injury or disease. Physical Therapy can help increase lost muscle strength by setting up a strengthening program involving various exercises and other techniques. One of those techniques is by the use of our aquatic therapy program. This allows individuals to move their bodies in an environment that supports their body, reducing the weight of the body part that they are moving.

Ambulation:

An individual's ability to walk safely and effectively. A Physical therapist's goal is to find the most energy efficient, appropriate, and useful method for someone to walk. A therapist may focus on the balance required to maintain a standing position, and then progress to maintaining that balance while taking a step. We would also assess what the most appropriate assistive devices would allow the person the most independence. Assistive devices include such items as walkers, canes, crutches and any device that will improve a person’s quality of ambulation.

Assistive Technology:

If walking is not an option, then a Physical Therapist would focus on increasing their mobility skills in a wheelchair. This may be done by the use of a power wheelchair, or by a manual wheelchair that can be propelled by the individual. In this case, the individual would require an assistive technology evaluation.

Bed mobility:

This refers to an individual's ability to move in bed. Bed mobility is made up of rolling, sitting up in bed, as well as any movement techniques needed to allow the individual to be comfortable, position in a way that prevents contractures or possible pressure areas, and that is the safest for the individual based on their current medical condition. There may be certain types of equipment, such as bed rails or trapeze bars, that can act as enablers, allowing individuals to bring themselves into a sitting position or in a situation that allows that individual to be as independent as possible.

Transfers:

Transferring ability refers to an individual's ability to maneuver from one surface to another. Examples of transfers include getting from bed into a wheelchair, a wheelchair to the toilet or bathtub, as well as getting in and out of a car. There are various techniques that can be learned that will allow an individual to move with minimal help, or even independently. If an individual can independently and safely transfer between different surfaces, their quality of life will be greatly enhanced. This will give them the ability to choose when to go somewhere as well as allowing them to take more control of their lives as well as their decision-making ability.

Endurance:

Refers to an individual’s ability to tolerate prolonged periods of activity. As a result of a specific injury, or because of a long hospital course, someone may have lost the ability to tolerate activity for more than minutes at a time. The Physical Therapist would work with an individual by slowly increasing the time and intensity of the exercise sessions to a level that is appropriate with that individual’s lifestyle and goals. For example, an endurance program for a 25-year-old active individual will be different than a program for an 80-year-old individual who prefers to participate in more sedentary activities.

Safety:

With any type of functional activities that a Physical Therapist addresses during treatment, the primary focus is the individual's ability to complete the activity in a safe manner. If the activity cannot be completed safely, then injury and further harm may result. There are techniques that can be learned that will ensure safety in all activities. This may include the use of assistive devices, or may involve adapting a technique to suit an individual's areas of strength. For example, someone with weakness on the left arm and left may transfer to the right side in order to maximize the use of their right arm and leg.