Heavy Lifting

[HelloPT]

I was just wondering if there are any fields in PT that do not require too much heavy lifting (perhaps outpatient or sports). From my shadowing experience a major component of PT is getting patients up on their feet. At the same time, it is my understanding that PT's are educated on the whole body, however I noticed that PT often deals with the lower body and OT deals with the upper body. Is this true? It seems that if I want to minimize heavy lifting I have to work solely with UE and become a CHT (which apparently most of them are OT's). Any information would be appreciated! 🙂

 

[goyo1010]

I was just wondering if there are any fields in PT that do not require too much heavy lifting (perhaps outpatient or sports). From my shadowing experience a major component of PT is getting patients up on their feet. At the same time, it is my understanding that PT's are educated on the whole body, however I noticed that PT often deals with the lower body and OT deals with the upper body. Is this true? It seems that if I want to minimize heavy lifting I have to work solely with UE and become a CHT (which apparently most of them are OT's). Any information would be appreciated! 🙂

PTs deal with the whole body in regaining, maintaining, and optimizing function. OTs deal with regaining, maintaining, or optimizing functions related to occupational performance and goals. PTs do not necessarily work solely with the LE, nor do OTs work solely with the UE. In the acute setting, a large part of PT and OT interventions is to get the patient up and out of bed as much as possible. However, in the outpatient setting, there is less of this since a lot of the patients you will see may be ambulatory. This of course depends if it's a setting that focuses on orthopedics, neurology, sports, etc. You will learn proper biomechanics in school that will help optimize your skills and abilities in handling less functional patients.

If you don't want to do much lifting, however, you could go into settings like hand therapy, wound care, clinical electrophysiology, neonatal physical therapy, etc.

 

[hujee]

I am currently in my 3rd clinical. My first was outpatient ortho and I had NO lifting requirements - well, I did laundry there once or twice and that was probably my heaviest lifting. My second was at a school for severely disabled children. We had a hoyer lift or used two-person lifts and I had one 21 year old that I did a dependent transfer with, so depending on the day, that could be a little challenging. I am one week into my acute/IP at a hospital. I was very worried about this one going in. Obviously, more lifting requirements, but I have lifting restrictions for medical reasons (pregnancy) and have had to do none so far - my CI has not assigned me any cases with major lifting requirements. So, long story short, there are areas (OP ortho in my experience) that have little/no lifting and ways around it (using lifts, multiple people, open communication with supervisor about concerns/issues you have).