Physical therapists (PT) work with patients who have been in an accident, have a medical condition or have had surgery to relieve their pain, help them regain their physical strength and get back their independence for daily living and work environments. They confer with a physician prior to beginning treatment and evaluation, and provide regular updates to the treating physician on patient progress. Physical therapists evaluate a patient’s physical health through a variety of tests including range-of-motion, gait and functional analyses and other diagnostic tests.

Areas of Specialization
The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties currently offers board-certification in seven specialty areas: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiologic, Geriatric, Neurologic, Orthopedic, Pediatric, and Sports physical therapy.


Work Environment
Physical therapists work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, business and industrial organizations, and private homes.