What do a stroke victim, a star athlete, a young mother with multiple sclerosis, an injured fireman, and a premature baby born with birth defects have in common? They all need a physical therapist to help them overcome pain, restore mobility, and lead independent lives. Physical therapists help more than one million people every day, from every age group and background you can think of. Physical therapists treat any part of the body that isn't functioning properly due to injury, disease, or other causes. They are trained to stretch, strengthen, test balance and coordination, massage, and enhance mobility. In addition to these hands-on skills, they employ a wide variety of mechanical means such as special exercises, extreme temperatures, infrared light, ultrasound, and electricity. The goal for physical therapists is to help people help themselves. The primary purpose of physical therapy is to help people use their own bodies to function as best they can and to lead more active lives. For an athlete, that could mean training to set a new record. For someone with a debilitating disease, that could be as basic as getting out of bed and dressing without help.

Because injury and disease can affect anyone, physical therapists can work in a general practice or specialize in a number of areas:

• Pediatrics
• Geriatrics
• Occupational Therapy
• Women's Health
• Acute Care
• Wound Care
• Orthopedics
• Performing arts
• Neurology
• Cardiopulmanary Rehab
• Sports Medicine