PHYSICAL THERAPY
The Profession
Physical therapy is a unique and vital health profession concerned with health promotion, prevention of physical disabilities and the habilitation/rehabilitation of persons disabled by pain, disease, or injury. Physical therapy is defined as the examination, evaluation, intervention, and prevention of physical disability, movement dysfunction and pain resulting from injury, disease, disability, or other health related conditions. Physical therapy includes: (1) the performance and interpretation of tests and measurements to assess pathophysiological, pathomechanical, electrophysiological, ergonomic, and developmental deficits of bodily systems to determine diagnosis, intervention, prognosis, and prevention; (2) the planning, administration, and modification of therapeutic interventions that focus on posture, locomotion, strength, endurance, cardiopulmonary function, balance, coordination, joint mobility, flexibility, pain, healing and repair, and functional abilities in daily living skills, including work; and (3) the provision of consultative, educational, research, and other advisory services.
