Not really impressed with Physical Therapy

[jman128]

I'm a PT tech right now in an outpatient clinic. It seems like everyone is treated in the same exact manner. It seems like patients can do all the exercises at home once they learn them. I don't see the point of coming in all the time. There are only a couple actual exercise machines. I'm doing the same exact things that the PT is doing and I'm just a tech.

I guess I just expected more.

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[nicolej5]

and the point of this post was?? If you aren't impressed with pt, then move on. No one's forcing you to become a pt, let those of us who understand and appreciate the profession go on to pursue it. Sorry to sound like a b****, but it really grinds my gears when people assume pt is just machine exercises and nothing else.

 

[jman128]

I'm not trying to start an argument, I'm just trying to explain what I observed.

 

[callmecrazy]

The PT is surely doing things you are not, whether you see it or not. Assessments, measurements, clinical decision making, etc. Even the laziest therapist can't get around those things.

Without judging the particular therapists you work with, I would recommend observing other PTs. I can almost guarantee you will see something different. That is, if you are looking at PT as a career?

 

[nismo13]

Cool story bro...

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[greco13]

Cool story bro...

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^ like

 

[Ngozi Onyema]

There's definitely more to Physical Therapy than you think or may have observed. I'm a Physical Therapist Assistant and as that I have to keep my license up to date by going to seminars and in one seminar (I think for Myofascial Release) the instructor told us about how some therapists just do basic exercises and how that usually leads to not resolving the underlying problem. Like for instance you may be complaining about therapist just giving weights or a theraband to patients and just doing a basic exercise everytime but in that seminar the instructor told us how we have to look for the real cause of the problem. It may look like one thing is the cause of the problem but there may be another thing that is causing what we believe is the cause of the problem (if you can understand that). It goes as deep as knowing the patients daily activities and within that you find the source of the problem. All I'm saying is that there is more to it than you think.

 

[jesspt]

I'm a PT tech right now in an outpatient clinic. It seems like everyone is treated in the same exact manner. It seems like patients can do all the exercises at home once they learn them. I don't see the point of coming in all the time. There are only a couple actual exercise machines. I'm doing the same exact things that the PT is doing and I'm just a tech.

I guess I just expected more.

Go observe in another clinic.

 

[goyo1010]

I'm a PT tech right now in an outpatient clinic. It seems like everyone is treated in the same exact manner. It seems like patients can do all the exercises at home once they learn them. I don't see the point of coming in all the time. There are only a couple actual exercise machines. I'm doing the same exact things that the PT is doing and I'm just a tech.

I guess I just expected more.

Observe at another clinic. Also, try hospitals. COMPLETELY different environment. There are a lot of PTs out there that just the bare minimum, and these are the people that hurt our profession.

 

[kptnau]

I've worked with therapists that just sit on their computers while the techs do almost everything. They do their eval, tell a tech to write up a general back pain exercise program and call it that. Every patient would start with the same exercises and modalities. I've also worked with therapists that can't stop working with patients (things you and I aren't allowed to do, such as stretching, joint mobs techniques, and other things) to the point where they don't have enough time in the day. It's about passion.

 

[jman128]

Topic Creator here:

I also wanted to add that it seems very impersonal. There are too many patients and it seemed like they deserved to spend more time alone with the physical therapist. I thought it was going to be more one-on-one stuff, but they run it like a gym where the PT goes, "just do this, that, and that too and we will call it a day"

 

[Azimuthal]

::troll::

This guy doesn't know what he wants to do. His posts jump from one career to another. It's okay, next week he will be at the pre-pharmacy forum.

 

[jman128]

::troll::

This guy doesn't know what he wants to do. His posts jump from one career to another. It's okay, next week he will be at the pre-pharmacy forum.

I'm a troll because I am trying to figure out what I want to pursue as a career? I'm a troll because I'm explaining an experience I am having?

 

[Azimuthal]

Here:
http://www.onetonline.org/link/details/29-1123.00

Compare your 'single' observation setting with the O*Net description. Any difference?

So, yes, you're a troll. Google the term if need be. You base your impression of The PT occupation by your limited observation and then created a thread, titled "Not really impressed with Physical Therapy". Heck, you even got jesspt offering his advice. He usually responds to more advanced topics. Okay, I'll stop feeding you.

 

[Azimuthal]

Actually, I apologize. I told myself when I grew up and starting posting here that I wouldn't flame anyone. That still stands. Good luck in any career field you choose.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

Topic Creator here:

I also wanted to add that it seems very impersonal. There are too many patients and it seemed like they deserved to spend more time alone with the physical therapist. I thought it was going to be more one-on-one stuff, but they run it like a gym where the PT goes, "just do this, that, and that too and we will call it a day"

Did you expect warm and fuzzy reactions from your thread topic? Can you give me any evidence that instances of poor care in the physical therapy profession (i.e. your example - if accurate) is any more common than any other healthcare profession?

There are going to be clinician's and employees in any occupation who don't do as good of a job as they should. It has nothing to do with physical therapy alone.

There are many PT's who make an awesome effort on behalf of the patient, the vast majority try really hard. It is rare to work with slacker PT's in my experience, and I've been around to about 20 different clinics or more over 4 years of practice as a travel/contract/PRN PT. I would like to think I know better than a tech who quite honestly has no baseline education and on my observation doesn't know what they're doing or what they're looking at.

If you think you have physical therapy figured out as a profession you're mistaken and I invite you to get a job elsewhere.

 

[goyo1010]

I've worked with therapists that just sit on their computers while the techs do almost everything. They do their eval, tell a tech to write up a general back pain exercise program and call it that. Every patient would start with the same exercises and modalities. I've also worked with therapists that can't stop working with patients (things you and I aren't allowed to do, such as stretching, joint mobs techniques, and other things) to the point where they don't have enough time in the day. It's about passion.

Not sure how it is in your state, but a PT technician is not allowed by the APTA Texas Practice Act to "write up a general back pain exercise program". Any POC MUST be WRITTEN by a licensed PT. Only a PTA can modify within the POC within reasonable limits.

Also, as others have stated: it depends on where you go. There are many PTs out there that do the eval and have the PTA/tech do most of the patient interaction, especially if it's a busy outpatient clinic. Or it could be that the PT is pretty lazy.

Then there are a lot of other places that place an emphasis on the PT-patient relationship, where they don't even hire PTAs or techs even though they are busy all the time. It simply depends on the clinic philosophy on patient care.

Bottom line: Don't let one clinic observation form your perception of what PT is all about. Look around and observe at other settings.

 

[elmcd77]

I have worked in a busy PT clinic and some of the therapists did this, but others were great and utilized their techs to spend time with more hands on patients or unique cases. I was a very busy tech here and I liked being busy and I did think we offered great service and results to our patients.

I just started my first part-time clinical, working with a PT who has been in the business for 25 years and I was AMAZED at how much time he spent with his patients. It was really cool and I hope that the clinic I work in also allows me to delve so much into my patients in order to get to the root/cause of their msk problems.

My point here is that a great deal of it has to do with the clinic, how it's run, how much money the PT's are expected to bring in, etc. All of these things can have a large amount of influence on the PT. I echo what all of the other posters have said: go see another clinic or clinics. Also, if you do go into PT and you do want to spend more time with your patients and actually help them, find a clinic that allows you to do this. They are all different.

 

[nsxviper]

I'm worked at a clinic where the PT doesn't care much about their patients well-being. That PT has been doing the job for a very long time and hasn't changed their old ways of treating patients. Although some of it helps the patients, others do the same thing over and over again with no improvements. Patient's insurance only covers so little and that PT is just milking the system.

Not too long ago I started at another clinic and it was a whole different ballgame. We constantly correct patient's mechanics and if I don't correct them, then I get corrected. There's so much care with what we do at this clinic. It does make me a lot happier working there.

To the OP, do try to find another clinic. Don't think that this is what all PT has to offer. When you decide you want to be a PT, don't be like the PT you are currently working for.