After a fall, severe illness, or traumatic brain injury, your dad should look into physical therapy services. Physiotherapy, commonly referred to as physical therapy, is a branch of medicine designed to restore and strengthen movements to ensure a person is able to perform their daily routines.
Your dad’s doctor may recommend he works with a physical therapist after a stroke, a bone fracture, or when he has a muscular condition. If he has Alzheimer’s, he may work with a physical therapist to help maintain mobility and balance for as long as possible.
Have you ever stopped to look at what education and training physical therapists undergo? Take a closer look at what it takes to become a physical therapist.
Educational Requirements
The curriculum for a physical therapy program depends on the college or university, but students accepted into a doctorate program must already hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree that required two or more years of biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, anatomy, and physiology. A year of calculus and statistics is also required.
Accepted students study anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and human movements. They will spend many hours interning with a licensed physical therapist, too. Before graduation, a Capstone and several hours of patient management instruction are completed.
A licensed physical therapist will have gained experience and training working with infants, children, teens, adults, and the elderly. Their goal is to help their patient obtain the greatest range of movement.
What Exactly Does a Physical Therapist Do?
Your dad’s initial visit with a physical therapist involves a conversation and assessment. He’ll discuss what is bothering him, how it impacts his daily life, and what he hopes to achieve.
Your dad’s physical therapist will run through some exercises to observe how he does and where his movement is impacted by pain, stiffness, etc. Once the observation stage is completed, your dad’s therapist will create a care plan.
That treatment plan often includes a mix of therapies. He’ll have exercises to do that help strengthen his joints, but he may also experience massages, ultrasounds, and electrical stimulation. He’ll go home after a visit with his physical therapist armed with exercises to do on his own and instructions on how to alleviate pain to ensure he keeps exercising to strengthen his muscles and joints.
Prepare Him For His First Appointment for Physical Therapy
On his appointment day, whether it’s at a clinic or at his home, your dad needs to dress in comfortable, loose clothing. If he’s experiencing arthritis pain in the knee that limits his mobility, you could have him in a t-shirt and shorts to make it easy for the therapist to palpate his knee and watch how it’s positioned as he stands, sits, and moves around.
When your dad’s doctor recommends physical therapy, don’t put off making the arrangements. Ask his doctor for a referral, if you need one for insurance, and make a call.
If you or a family member need to hire Physical Therapy Services in Stonybrook NY or the surrounding areas, contact the caring professionals at Star Multi Care Services today at (631)956-8835. We are the Right Choice for Home Health Care Services!
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