Hi guys, I need your honest opinion. What is the difference between PT and AT?

[2JPT]

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Hi guys, I'm from South Korea, but I got a PT license in the US.
I really want to know what is the difference between PT and AT.
This is because in my conutry, AT(Athletic trainer) is doing manual therapy (jt mobilization, soft tissue massage, neurodynamic technique and so on) because there is no specific rule about PT.
Many ATs provide lectures to review physical therapy book to AT (e.g. Movement Impairment Syndrome by shirmann, or Movement by Gray cook).
Even the Gray Cook was introduced by Rehabilitation Specialist not Physical Therapist. I think I really don't understand about this situation because there is a major that "rehabilitation therapy" in university of South Korea.

I really love the Physical Therapy, but I don't know what is the physical therapy.
Could you give me your opinion about this topic please?

I'm waiting for your opinion.

 

[BranBran]

Athletic trainers seem more like first responders of injuries. They tell the athlete or person what steps they should take next regarding their injury (go to PT, go to ER, see a doctor, etc). ATs mainly work with athletes. ATs work with more acute injuries I believe. They also can help/teach athletes in preventing injury.

PTs seem more clinical. They can assist with long term treatments of many abnormalities. PTs are also more educated. They work with all kinds of populations and treat a wider variety of diseases/disorders/injuries. They focus on restoring movement. PTS can work with more chronic cases.

Schooling and certifications are different for both. Im sure you can find someone with both an ATC and PT degree. they would know more.

I am neither so PLEASE correct me anyone. DPT school starts for me next fall.

 

[atstudent]

Athletic trainers seem more like first responders of injuries. They tell the athlete or person what steps they should take next regarding their injury (go to PT, go to ER, see a doctor, etc). ATs mainly work with athletes. ATs work with more acute injuries I believe. They also can help/teach athletes in preventing injury.

PTs seem more clinical. They can assist with long term treatments of many abnormalities. PTs are also more educated. They work with all kinds of populations and treat a wider variety of diseases/disorders/injuries. They focus on restoring movement. PTS can work with more chronic cases.

Schooling and certifications are different for both. Im sure you can find someone with both an ATC and PT degree. they would know more.

I am neither so PLEASE correct me anyone. DPT school starts for me next fall.

You're better off keeping your mouth shut, when you don't know the answer. Hopefully you learn that in PT school.


Athletic Trainers are Allied Healthcare Providers, as recognized by the American Medical Association since 1990. Athletic Trainers are responsible for the prevention, evaluation, emergency treatment, acute care, rehabilitation and reconditioning of injuries. Most often, Athletic Trainers treat "athletic injuries" and treat "athletes." However that is no longer completely true either. Athletic Trainers are found not only in athletic environments, but they are now being employed in the industrial settings, law enforcement and public safety, the US Military, and in physician offices.

Athletic Trainers are rehab professionals, trained in several techniques just like PTs. PTs tend to treat a wider range of conditions and have a greater education in all of those different conditions whereas ATs tend to specialize in orthopedic injuries. In our Athletic Training Room, we have more rehab equipment and modalities, etc than many PT clinics. We are well-equipped to rehabilitate many injuries.

 

[jesspt]

"You're better off keeping your mouth shut, when you don't know the answer. Hopefully you learn that in PT school."

So, apparently you didn't learn courtesy in AT school. Or have forgotten it since.

I learned it from my mother and father long before I graduated from PT school.

 

[redrose424]

You're better off keeping your mouth shut, when you don't know the answer. Hopefully you learn that in PT school.


Athletic Trainers are Allied Healthcare Providers, as recognized by the American Medical Association since 1990. Athletic Trainers are responsible for the prevention, evaluation, emergency treatment, acute care, rehabilitation and reconditioning of injuries. Most often, Athletic Trainers treat "athletic injuries" and treat "athletes." However that is no longer completely true either. Athletic Trainers are found not only in athletic environments, but they are now being employed in the industrial settings, law enforcement and public safety, the US Military, and in physician offices.

Athletic Trainers are rehab professionals, trained in several techniques just like PTs. PTs tend to treat a wider range of conditions and have a greater education in all of those different conditions whereas ATs tend to specialize in orthopedic injuries. In our Athletic Training Room, we have more rehab equipment and modalities, etc than many PT clinics. We are well-equipped to rehabilitate many injuries.

I hope you feel better. Patience and kindness are virtues; as someone who works with patients I hope you exhibit those qualities in your daily life.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

You're better off keeping your mouth shut, when you don't know the answer. Hopefully you learn that in PT school.


Athletic Trainers are Allied Healthcare Providers, as recognized by the American Medical Association since 1990. Athletic Trainers are responsible for the prevention, evaluation, emergency treatment, acute care, rehabilitation and reconditioning of injuries. Most often, Athletic Trainers treat "athletic injuries" and treat "athletes." However that is no longer completely true either. Athletic Trainers are found not only in athletic environments, but they are now being employed in the industrial settings, law enforcement and public safety, the US Military, and in physician offices.

Athletic Trainers are rehab professionals, trained in several techniques just like PTs. PTs tend to treat a wider range of conditions and have a greater education in all of those different conditions whereas ATs tend to specialize in orthopedic injuries. In our Athletic Training Room, we have more rehab equipment and modalities, etc than many PT clinics. We are well-equipped to rehabilitate many injuries.

Who cares what the AMA says? Cite your own association. And working in a physician office is NOT impressive.

Let someone answer who is a PT AND a ATC

 

[truthseeker]

That would be me. What ATstudent said is essentially true. In much of the orthopedic training PT and AT are very very similar. ATs are trained to be first responders, stabilizing potential spinal cord injuries, helping the team doctor identify illness and do the appropriate referral. PTs are definitely more clinical in nature, without specific training for on-field athletic event coverage. ATs are not, IMO qualified to treat anyone but a well patient. Unless the training has changed a lot since I went to school (it probably has) there is little attention paid to comorbidities, they don't learn about dealing with things like osteoarthritis etc . . . PTs are infinitely more qualified to treat patients with neurological disorders, (excluding concussion evaluation and management)
Both are exciting and rewarding. the hours of an AT suck.

 

[DPTinFL]

2JPT,
Nobody mentioned...

The major difference is $salary$ in the USA. PTs can almost make double of what AT makes. What are the differences in $salary$ in South Korea?

In my opinion, little difference in orthopedics/athletics. AT and PT can both evaluate and treat using whatever they want as long as within state law. My clinic is located close to a big university which has AT program but not PT. I only see their athletes when they are post surgery or difficult case. The rest of the time AT is evaluating and treating.

 

[SnowyDPT]

You're better off keeping your mouth shut, when you don't know the answer. Hopefully you learn that in PT school.


Athletic Trainers are Allied Healthcare Providers, as recognized by the American Medical Association since 1990. Athletic Trainers are responsible for the prevention, evaluation, emergency treatment, acute care, rehabilitation and reconditioning of injuries. Most often, Athletic Trainers treat "athletic injuries" and treat "athletes." However that is no longer completely true either. Athletic Trainers are found not only in athletic environments, but they are now being employed in the industrial settings, law enforcement and public safety, the US Military, and in physician offices.

Athletic Trainers are rehab professionals, trained in several techniques just like PTs. PTs tend to treat a wider range of conditions and have a greater education in all of those different conditions whereas ATs tend to specialize in orthopedic injuries. In our Athletic Training Room, we have more rehab equipment and modalities, etc than many PT clinics. We are well-equipped to rehabilitate many injuries.

Have some respect for other people. Unbelievable.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

Have some respect for other people. Unbelievable.

Not exactly. I think it's more of a lack of tolerance he has for the lack of respect other people have for his profession. Intolerance in this case IMO is a good thing.

 

[BiffTheFlashRogers]

Not exactly. I think it's more of a lack of tolerance he has for the lack of respect other people have for his profession. Intolerance in this case IMO is a good thing.

Understandable to a point. However, the initial response seemed unnecessarily harsh, especially seeing as @BranBran wasn't even really incorrect. All the other guy did was provide a more fleshed out response.

 

[redrose424]

Not exactly. I think it's more of a lack of tolerance he has for the lack of respect other people have for his profession. Intolerance in this case IMO is a good thing.

What exactly did BranBran say that was disrespectful to his profession? First off, they stated their own opinion (and prefaced that by saying the OP should find someone more knowledgable) which was neither derogatory nor incorrect. There was certainly no reason for anyone to get an attitude.

 

[jjjDPT]

You're better off keeping your mouth shut, when you don't know the answer. Hopefully you learn that in PT school.


Athletic Trainers are Allied Healthcare Providers, as recognized by the American Medical Association since 1990. Athletic Trainers are responsible for the prevention, evaluation, emergency treatment, acute care, rehabilitation and reconditioning of injuries. Most often, Athletic Trainers treat "athletic injuries" and treat "athletes." However that is no longer completely true either. Athletic Trainers are found not only in athletic environments, but they are now being employed in the industrial settings, law enforcement and public safety, the US Military, and in physician offices.

Athletic Trainers are rehab professionals, trained in several techniques just like PTs. PTs tend to treat a wider range of conditions and have a greater education in all of those different conditions whereas ATs tend to specialize in orthopedic injuries. In our Athletic Training Room, we have more rehab equipment and modalities, etc than many PT clinics. We are well-equipped to rehabilitate many injuries.

Troll.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

What exactly did BranBran say that was disrespectful to his profession? First off, they stated their own opinion (and prefaced that by saying the OP should find someone more knowledgable) which was neither derogatory nor incorrect. There was certainly no reason for anyone to get an attitude.

Not much but it doesn't take much sometimes for some on here to blow a fuse 🙂 I don't know that it makes sense for a pre PT student to write about differences between a PT and a ATC. This everyone knows has to stop, just a variation on a theme to me.

 

[redrose424]

Not much but it doesn't take much sometimes for some on here to blow a fuse 🙂 I don't know that it makes sense for a pre PT student to write about differences between a PT and a ATC. This everyone knows has to stop, just a variation on a theme to me.

That first part may be true, but as I said patience/kindness are virtues. If you disagree with someone, you can say so in a respectful way and I'm sure you agree with that. And who knows how much research a pre PT student has done concerning the differences? Maybe they've done lots of observation with both PTs and ATCs. Or maybe, as BranBran said, it may be most useful to ask someone who has both degrees. I think its helpful to encourage pre-PT students and current PT students to expand their knowledge instead of telling them to "shut up."

Just a thought.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

That first part may be true, but as I said patience/kindness are virtues. If you disagree with someone, you can say so in a respectful way and I'm sure you agree with that. And who knows how much research a pre PT student has done concerning the differences? Maybe they've done lots of observation with both PTs and ATCs. Or maybe, as BranBran said, it may be most useful to ask someone who has both degrees. I think its helpful to encourage pre-PT students and current PT students to expand their knowledge instead of telling them to "shut up."

Just a thought.

Fair enough. But it still resonates with me. I've seen way too much talk about physical therapy by non physical therapists and it's annoying. I feel like people who do this develop a false sense of expertise and entitlement. I feel like people should in fact shut up, do their own job, respect others who do a different job, and not pretend to know what they don't know.

 

[truthseeker]

I think we need to do a better job of defining our profession to the world. Too many times we are thought of as the ultrasound and massage people. I remember a movie, I think it was "Hard to Kill" where the hero rose out of a coma of months or years to physically fight off bad guys and the PT was a dude in white pants and a white tee shirt looking like a psyche ward orderly from the 40s. If that is what people think of us then its our fault.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

I think we need to do a better job of defining our profession to the world. Too many times we are thought of as the ultrasound and massage people. I remember a movie, I think it was "Hard to Kill" where the hero rose out of a coma of months or years to physically fight off bad guys and the PT was a dude in white pants and a white tee shirt looking like a psyche ward orderly from the 40s. If that is what people think of us then its our fault.

Is there a solution to the problem of too many non PT's and too little PT's defining what physical therapy is?

 

[truthseeker]

I just got an email blast from the APTA about all of the mentions we got in newspaper articles and all of the wonderful things they have done with our membership money. I don't see it here. I would say that along with us doing our part locally, some of the money we pay to our national organization should go to defining our "brand" so-to-speak.