History
of Physical
Therapy
Although
the use of certain techniques of physical therapy goes back to ancient
times, the modern profession of physical therapy developed in the
twentieth century, in the wake of World War I. The very first modern
American physical therapists were trained to work with soldiers
returning from the war, and several groups of “reconstruction
aides,” as they were then called, actually were sent to military
hospitals in France to institute early rehabilitation with wounded
veterans.
Today’s physical
therapist is a direct descendant of these brave men and women. Physical
therapists now practice in a wide variety of settings, with patients
from all age groups. Many people are familiar with physical
therapists’ work helping patients with orthopedic problems, such as
low back pain or knee surgeries, to reduce pain and regain function.
Others may be aware of the treatment that physical therapists provide to
assist patients recovering from a stroke in learning to use their limbs
and walk again. If you are old enough to remember the midcentury polio
epidemics, you might be aware of the important role that physical
therapists played in helping people with this disease minimize or
overcome its paralyzing effects. Each of these recollections captures
the essence of physical therapists. In today’s health care system,
physical therapists are the experts in the examination and treatment of
musculoskeletal and neuromuscular problems that affect peoples’
abilities to move the way they want and function as well as they want in
their daily lives.
Movement
and Function
The
ability to maintain an upright posture and to move your arms and legs to
perform all sorts of tasks and activities is an important component of
your health. Most of us can learn to live with the various medical
conditions that we may develop, but only if we are able to continue at
our jobs, take care of our families, and enjoy important occasions with
family and friends. All of these activities require the ability to move
without difficulty or pain.
For some of us,
the ability to move is not merely a matter of using our limbs to walk or
handle objects. There are cardiac and pulmonary problems that interfere
with the body’s ability to use oxygen, which is the “fuel” of
muscles and movement. Because people of all ages, from the newborn to
the very aged, have the need to move and function, physical therapists
work with patients across the lifespan. You might see physical
therapists working with patients or clients in hospitals (even
critically ill patients in the intensive care unit), in nursing homes,
in outpatient clinics, in the home, in schools, and on the job.
Because physical
therapists are experts in movement and function, they do not confine
their talents to treating people who are ill. A large part of a physical
therapist’s program is directed at preventing injury and loss
of movement. Physical therapists work as consultants in industrial
settings to improve the design of the workplace and reduce the risk of
workers overusing certain muscles or developing low back pain. They also
provide services to athletes at all levels to screen for potential
problems and institute preventive exercise programs. With the boom in
the fitness industry, a number of physical therapists are engaged in
consulting with individuals and fitness clubs to develop workouts that
are safe and effective, especially for people who already know that they
have a problem with their joints or their backs.
provided courtesy of APTA
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