Physical therapy provides services to individuals and populations
to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional
ability throughout the lifespan. This includes providing services in
circumstances where movement and function are threatened by ageing,
injury, disease or environmental factors. Functional movement is
central to what it means to be healthy.
Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximising
quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of
promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and
rehabilitation. This encompasses physical, psychological,
emotional, and social well being. Physical therapy involves the
interaction between physical therapist, patients/clients, other
health professionals, families, care givers, and communities in a
process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed
upon, using knowledge and skills unique to physical therapists.
Physical therapists are qualified and professionally required to:
Undertake a comprehensive examination/assessment/evaluation
of the patient/client or needs of a client group;
Formulate a diagnosis, prognosis, and plan;
Provide consultation within their expertise and determine
when patients/clients need to be referred to another healthcare
professional;
Implement a physical therapist intervention/treatment
programme;
Determine the outcomes of any interventions/treatments; and
Make recommendations for self management.
The physical therapist’s extensive knowledge of the body and its
movement needs and potential is central to determining strategies
for diagnosis and intervention. The practice settings will vary
according to whether the physical therapy is concerned with health
promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation or
rehabilitation.
Physical therapists operate as independent
practitioners, as well as members of
health service provider teams, and are subject to the ethical
principles of WCPT. They are able to act as first contact
practitioners, and patients/clients may seek direct services without
referral from another health care professional.
Physical therapy is an established and regulated profession, with
specific professional aspects of clinical practice and education,
indicative of diversity in social, economic, cultural, and political
contexts. But it is clearly a single profession, and the first
professional qualification, obtained in any country, represents the
completion of a curriculum that qualifies the physical therapist to
use the professional title and to practice as an independent
professional.
The nature of the physical therapy process
Physical therapy is the service provided only by, or under the
direction and supervision of, a physical therapist. Itincludes
examination/assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, plan of
care/intervention and re-examination.
Assessment includes:
the examination
of individuals or groups
with actual or potential impairments, activity limitations,
participation restrictions or abilities/disabilities by history
taking, screening and the use of specific tests and measures;
and
the evaluation
of the results of the
examination of individuals/groups and/or the environment through
analysis and synthesis within a process of clinical reasoning to
determine the facilitators and barriers to optimal human
functioning.
Diagnosis and prognosis arise
fromthe examination and evaluation andrepresent the outcome of the process of clinical reasoning
and the incorporation of additional information from other
professionals as needed. This may be expressed in terms of movement
dysfunction or may encompass categories of impairments, activity
limitations, participatory restrictions, environmental influences or
abilities/disabilities.
Prognosis (including plan of care/intervention)
begins with determining the need for care/intervention and normally
leads to the development of a plan of care/intervention, including
measurable outcome goals negotiated in collaboration with the
patient/client, family or care giver. Alternatively it may lead to
referral to another agency or health professional in cases which are
inappropriate for physical therapy.
Intervention/treatment is implemented and
modified in order to reach agreed goals and may include manual
handling; movement enhancement; physical, electro-therapeutic and
mechanical agents; functional training; provision of assistive
technologies; patient related instruction and counselling;
documentation and co-ordination, and communication.
Intervention/treatment may also be aimed at prevention
of impairments, activity limitations, participatory restrictions,
disability and injury including the promotion and
maintenance of health, quality of life, workability and fitness in
all ages and populations.
Re-examination necessitates determining the
outcomes.
4710 W. Loomis Road
Greenfield, WI 53220
Phone: 414-433-1000
Fax:414-433-0195
Email: info@painmcenterwi.com