Finding a physical therapy professional in Doral can be difficult. Not only are they usually not attached to a hospital, finding a therapist who is the right fit for you can be a journey that takes quite a while. After all, being a professional physical therapist is more than a degree and a license.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is somewhat nebulous. It encompasses a wide range of activities that help people regain mobility after an injury or surgery. The classical image most people have a physical therapist is of a physical therapy professional helping someone through a range of exercises. However, the field of physical therapy is so much more than that. Here are a few of the activities under the umbrella of physical therapy. 

1: Pediatric Physical Therapy

Children grow quickly. Though this usually happens without incident, the speed of growth means that problems that crop up in a child can be significantly magnified in a way that they wouldn’t for an adult. For example, many children experience small issues with tendons or problems like scoliosis that PTs can mitigate in childhood to keep them from enduring more significant pain as adults. For example, a child with scoliosis can, under the supervision of a physical therapist, strengthen the muscles of their back, and mitigate the problems that can persist into adulthood. 

2: Neurological Physical Therapy

After a neurological problem, like a stroke, usually, people need extensive physical therapy. A neurological problem can affect the nerves and leave entire parts of your body unresponsive. Working with a physical therapy professional can be the key to getting your old life back. Though they cannot promise a miracle, usually some element of mobility can be regained. 

3: Cardiovascular Physical Therapy

A lesser-known type of physical therapy is cardiovascular physical therapy. This kind of physical therapy helps people who are having problems with their hearts, like heart attacks. Most people think that a heart problem can only be treated with medication, but there are certain kinds of exercises and other tools that can improve the health and strength of the heart as well. 

What Makes Someone a Physical Therapy Professional in Doral?

Being a physical therapy professional is about more than just a degree and a license. Although physical therapy used to require a simple bachelor’s degree, nowadays, a physical therapy professional must possess a Ph.D. People study for six or more years to become a physical therapist, and then study for licenses every couple of years. However, being a physical therapist is about more than studying.

1: Be an Advocate

One of the most important aspects of being a physical therapy professional is to act as an advocate. Physical therapy is occasionally called into question by people outside their profession. A true professional will be an advocate for their profession and can provide evidence that physical therapy is a necessary and valid way to accelerate healing and create long-term health. 

Not only should they be an advocate for their profession, but they should advocate for their patients. A physical therapy professional is one of the health professionals who sees the patient most often and most intimately. Often patients remain dismissed by health professionals if their pain isn’t easily categorized or acute, and a physical therapist often has a front-row seat to that effort.

2: Have Integrity

In any profession, there are people who lack integrity. Physical therapy is the kind of profession where one bad experience can harm the reputation of the entire field. More importantly, however, is how one dishonest physical therapist can ruin one person’s trust in physical therapy altogether. One bad experience can mean that a person might not seek out future physical therapy after a surgery or other injury. Being completely honest with patients and doctors is vital to being a physical therapy professional.

3: Prioritize Relationships

A great physical therapy professional will prioritize relationships with their patients. A physical therapist sees a patient over a series of weeks or months, and building a trusting relationship is vital to success. A patient who doesn’t trust their physical therapist might not tell them when something hurts, or if a treatment might not be enough for them. This could lead to a longer recovery time or even further injury down the line. Physical therapy is most effective when the patient and the physical therapist are completely honest with one another. However, a patient cannot be entirely honest if they don’t trust their therapist. 

How Do I Find a Physical Therapy Professional in Doral?

Here at Progressive Therapy Center, we pride ourselves on being patient-centered physical therapy professionals in Doral and the surrounding areas. We always strive to go above and beyond for our patients. If you are looking for a physical therapist to help you recover, contact us to find out if we are the right fit for you.