Physical Therapy Career - Is It Good for You?

A man is physically and mentally efficient only if all his faculties are functioning at peak levels. Sometimes physical therapy becomes both pertinent and imperative to stimulate these functions in a man. Considered part of health care, physical therapy, in many cases, helps a man to recover his movements, balance and full functionality, from problems due to the environment, illness injury or age. Several human ailments like arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and sciatica, besides bone and muscle problems, have found great relief from the use of Physical therapy. The therapy has helped the sufferers to enjoy a healthier standard of living. As a result, a Physical therapy career is showing rapid growth.

The ever-growing numbers of people suffering from the above ailments has given a fillip to the people in the realm of physical therapy, known as Physical Therapists or Physiotherapists, a great opportunity to advance their career and enjoy more handsome remuneration. The ongoing and continuous research on this subject is turning the focus more towards prevention and treatment rather than treatment through medication, and helps to encourage the afflicted persons to move towards a better and more hopeful tomorrow.

Physical therapists work on emotional, psychological, physical, and the social aspects of the human being, with regard to treatment, involvement, prevention, promotion and rehabilitation of potential body movements. Current estimate of physical therapy jobs in the US (2011-2012) is around 200,000 and counting, and their salaries range from around $53,000 to $107,000 per annum.

Though some countries do not insist on academic certification for physical therapists, most developed and emerging countries today are resolute for the need of formal education and experience. Most potential physical therapists would have had their grounding in areas such as Physics, Chemistry or Biology and would have specialized in therapeutic procedures, biomechanics, etc. The USA, for example, will employ only graduate physical therapists with a master's or a doctor's degree in some area of specialization.

Professional physical therapists have necessarily to pass state and federal exams to qualify for practicing their vocation. Many of the states in the US require them to continue passing periodical exams to keep their practitioner's license valid. In fact, this is extremely beneficial for the practitioner to update his knowledge of the latest techniques resulting from the continuous and ongoing research on the subject. Smart physical therapists can thus provide the best possible treatment to his patients and create that aura of credibility among their present and potential clients.

Physical therapists have a bright future in front of them and can work in several areas ranging from Home health, nursing, General medicine and surgery and physical and speech therapies and even in the clinics of physicians. Their career is on an upswing and salaries are on a fast rising curve.