Summative Essay

Learning about your Field:

Physical Therapy first interested me when my brother had to go some sessions for his broken foot. I went with him a few times just to check it all out and I ended up not wanting to leave. I love to do and experience things "hands on" and that is exactly what Physical Therapy is. .What I have learned about my field of Physical Therapy from researching for my blog is that it is a continuously growing field that utilizes new technology as it comes, and that no matter what the patient will always come first.

                The use of new technology to help increase the success of Physical Therapy is very big within the field. "Bright minds at West Health Institute in San Diego have developed a technology that allows patients in need of physical therapy to perform necessary exercises away from their expert guidance through the use of Microsoft Kinect"(Stango, P1) The Kinect can read your body movements and give you tips on how to do certain exercises correctly. Because of the new technology the Kinect gives us patients can do physical therapy out of their homes. As I have stated multiple times throughout my blog, I have learned that in physical therapy, as well as all professions within the medical field, the patients always come first. The American Physical Therapy Association released a code of ethics for Physical Therapy and within that code stated “Physical Therapists adhere to the core values of the profession and shall act in the best interests of patients/clients over the interests of the physical therapist."(APTA, 2A) I believe this statement that Physical Therapists should put their own self-interests aside in order for them to properly care for the patient and do what is in their best interest. I think that if Physical Therapists put their own interests first then you would see longer rehabilitation periods for patients. I have always liked to help others for as long as I can remember. This is one of the main reasons why I am interested in this field of work.

Learning about your Research:

My blogging experience has helped me to understand how my field works and what happens within the field of Physical Therapy. Throughout my research I have learned that there are many ways to go through Physical Therapy and that it takes time and patience to get through it on top. Not only does the Physical Therapist need to work with the patient but the patient needs to work with the Physical Therapist. What I mean by this is that the PT (Physical Therapist) needs to know and understand everything that is happening with the patient while they are doing an exercise so that the PT can make sure that the exercises are working correctly and safely.

When I first go into Physical Therapy I thought that was it, I want to be a Physical Therapist. But as I got farther and farther into my research I realized that there are different sub groups of Physical Therapy. Some of them are Neurological Therapy, Orthopedic Therapy, Geriatric Therapy, and also Pediatric Physical Therapy. After researching I am not quite sure what I want to go into specifically, but there is a lot of time to find out. My aunt Paula was an Occupational Physical Therapist working specifically on head trauma victims. I have spoken to her about her career and it interests me a lot. I am taking a Psychology class right now and learning about the human brain is fascinating. To be able to work with both Physical Therapy and the brain would be very neat.

              Throughout my research I think that I did lots of things correct. I think that was able to connect what I learned with my own personal feelings on the topic, and I was able to connect to different topics within. I also thought that I always gave credit to the correct person and never took credit for that which was not mine. That being said, I was not perfect with my research blog. Sometimes it was very difficult to find something to talk about with my blog and when I did I think that I was not as informative as I could have been. Some questions that I still have for the field of Physical Therapy are: How easy is it to find a job after school? And also what is the best route to take for setting up one’s own practice?

Works Cited:

"Kinect Can Help Doctors Monitor Your Physical Rehab From Home." Gizmodo. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://gizmodo.com/5946737/kinect-can-doctors-monitor-your-physical-rehab-from-home>.

"Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist (2010)." Welcome. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://ethics.iit.edu/ecodes/node/4839>.

Reflection

Today's post is a reflection on what I have learned so far within Physical Therapy. Where do I start? Physical Therapy comes in many different forms and styles for different people. The main types of Physical Therapy are Neurological Therapy, Orthopedic Therapy,Geriatric Therapy, and Pediatric Therapy. Physical Therapy in general is not for any certain age group or for any certain types of injuries. It ranges any where from sports injuries to promoting better posture. Physical Therapy is a growing field and it will continue to grow with the years coming. One of the biggest thing I have learned about what it means to be a Physical Therapist is that the patient comes first, no matter what. With new technology  you can use the Microsoft "Kinect" and go through Physical Therapy in your home. One big thing that I have learned is that Physical Therapy is always changing and there are always new ways and strategies to complete ones goals.

Kinesiology

As you may already know, I am going to school to study Kinesiology in hopes to become a Physical Therapist. This semester I am currently enrolled in one Kinesiology course, Kin 125. This course is about CPR and First Aid for many different situations. There is a lot of hands on practice involved in this class and it is one of the main things I like about it.

Being involved in hands on practice is very much different than learning out of a book or from online research. Instead of just putting new words and ideas in your head you are practicing those ideas and actually doing them. It is a lot more fun too! Some of the hands on practices that are done throughout this class are CPR, emergency ventilation s, caring for fractured bones and learning how to splint them correctly and safely. As of now I am still interested in Kinesiology. One in three college students change their major, so we will see what happens.

Parental involvement: Good/Bad?

Throughout the practice of Physical Therapy a recurring question kept popping up. Is parental involvement in Physical Therapy a good thing or is bad? Naturally, there are two opposing sides to this question. The reasons why people are against parental involvement within a kids physical therapy is because they believe the parent may "interfere" with the child's' therapy. It is also thought that the child will get to distracted with the parent hanging around asking questions and trying to help out. On the opposite end of the spectrum. People have been performing studies that show training with a child's mother present is as effective as the child training with just a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant. These studies also suggest that working with parents can accomplish the overall goal of physical therapy in a shorter time period. There are many opinions on this controversy, what is yours?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2732325

Neurological Therapy

Neurological Therapy is one of many types of physical therapy. Neurological Therapy might be used for patients who have Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Stroke, or spinal cord injuries. It is important to have physical therapy if you have a neurological disease. The brain and spinal cord are the centers of control for both movement and sensations. "An injury to a person's brain or spinal cord may cause death of cells which control specific movements and sensations, leading to a loss of function."(Disable World, P2) Neurological disorders affect a persons nervous system and can happen to people of all age groups.
 
Physical Therapy can help a person remain to perform certain activities which helps to prevent a loss of function. After an injury occurs, there is a time period where a persons cells that remained uninjured retain the ability to learn how to control the functions that have been lost. Physical Therapists' can help you jump on that time period and get your functions back safely and correctly.

"Neurological Therapy - Facts and Information." Neurological Therapy - Facts and Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/rehabilitation/therapy/neurological-therapy.php>.

Evaluating Sources

While researching online I found a interesting scholarly article on "Physical Therapy as a means to optimize posture and voice parameters in student classical singers." This is more of an experiment than an argument.

Correct posture is very important to a singer. It can change the sound of your voice and its strength. You can tell a huge difference from slouching down in a chair and singing and then sitting up right and back straight with your shoulders relaxed.

This experiment was performed on a  26 year old female classical singing student, and its aim was to improve the singers posture and voice parameters. The experiment showed great results. After four months of an individual rehabilitation program her postural alignment improved and her vocal dynamic and pitch range extended with smoother curves connecting the measuring points.

This experiment argues that postural alignment can be changed within four months and could possibly influence some of your voice parameters, but one experiment on one person is not enough to make this a fact. There needs to be many more experiments conducted on a wide variety of singers to see if these findings can be generalized.

"Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20207108>.

National Physical Therapy Month

Did you know that October is National Physical Therapy month? "Every October the APTA celebrates National Physical Therapy Month, whose primary goal is to raise awareness of the crucial role of Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants play in helping people reduce pain, improve their mobility, and live active and healthy lives."(SFGate, P2) The focus of this years National Physical Therapy Month is sport injury prevention. The main way to prevent long term sport injuries is learning to play the sport the correct way. You do this by starting young with the kids. They need to be taught the right way right off the bat. Like learning to tackle the right way in pee wee football, and teaching not to lead with the head, or the correct body position when fielding a ground ball.
This October the APTA will also be launching their first "Fit After 50" campaign. This is a program that provides daily tips and resources for Therapists working with the baby-boomer patients. The top five workouts for the baby boomers are:

1. Cardio- running, walking, swimming, biking. At least 30 min. a day

2. Strength Training- push ups, resistance bands, bicep curls. At least 30-45 min. twice a week

3. Flexibility Training- head circles, calf stretching, hamstring stretching. 10 min. a day

4. Balance Training- standing on one leg, tippy-toes. Only need 3 min. a day

5. Core Training- only need a few min. a day of abdominal exercises

"Celebrate National Physical Therapy Month and "Get Fit After 50" with the American Physical Therapy Association and HomeCEUConnection.com." SFGate. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Celebrate-National-Physical-Therapy-Month-and-3918422.php>.

Code of Ethics

While looking online to find more information on Physical Therapy I came across the "Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist" written and put together by the American Physical Therapy Association. While skimming over the code of ethics one section jumped out at me most.

 Physical therapists shall respect the inherent dignity and rights of all individuals
(Core Values: Compassion, integrity)

This section goes on to talk about respecting everyone no matter their religion, race, nationality, etc. and mentions that Physical therapists should recognize their own biases and not discriminate against others in their own field of practice and their education.
What made this section jump out at me the most is how I can relate my own beliefs and ethics to it. I find it offensive when people discriminate against others because they are of different ethnicity, religion, race, etc. I could go on forever. We are all human and deserve to be treated equally.

 I also like how they put the word Compassion in their Core Values. I believe that in order to become a good Physical Therapist or become good at any occupation in the medical field one needs to have compassion.  How can you try and help someone when you do not have the desire to alleviate their suffering. You can't! In my Kinesiology class I was taught that you need the three "C"s when taking care of a victim. They are Confidence, Competence, and Compassion. Compassion relates to many fields of study and it is a big key to your success, and the success of others.

Physical Therapy through Kinect

"Bright minds at the West Health Institute in San Diego have developed a technology that allows patients in need of physical therapy to perform necessary exercises away from their expert guidance through the use of a Microsoft Kinect."(Stango, P1) The technology that allows all of this to happen is called Reflexion Rehabilitation(RMT). RMT is a measurement tool that uses a Windows 7 computer and the Microsoft Kinect camera to keep physical therapy patients engaged in physical therapy throughout their daily lives.

Why is this program so cool? "Once prescribed, it gives educational feedback and presents the patient with educational materials, that will aide the doctor in keeping his or her patient in consistent prescribed therapy."(Stango, P2) This program also has the potential of lowering health care costs without losing the quality of service.
"The biggest problem with physical therapy is patients not doing enough of it or not doing it properly. We are building a tool to help physical therapists measure progress in a fun way that could potentially help patients heal faster."-Spencer Hutchins,-co inventor. This program has untold heights of what it could possibly accomplish.



"Kinect Can Help Doctors Monitor Your Physical Rehab From Home." Gizmodo. Nick Stango, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://gizmodo.com/5946737/kinect-can-doctors-monitor-your-physical-rehab-from-home>.

Student Organization

These past couple of days I have been looking into the "MSU Pre-Physical Therapy Association". It is a student organization here on campus for undergrads who are interested in going into Physical Therapy. From what I understand the goal of this organization is to let students become more familiar with Physical Therapy and its field of study.
Through the organization you can have "exclusive volunteer opportunities at local clinics.", talk to recently admitted Physical Therapists, practice interview skills, help out the Spartan community, and become an overall better Physical Therapy Program applicant.
From what I have researched this organization seems to be very close within itself and with the community of East Lansing. The organization seems to pride itself on helping out in the community and wherever it can be utilized. They value hard work and dedication. I think that having sessions on working on personal interview skills, talking with professionals, and hosting personal statement seminars show that. I am yet to have the privilege of attending a meeting or speak to a member of the organization but I see both in my near future.
For all who want to check it out here is their link: http://msuppta.wordpress.com

Hydrotherapy

In my previous blog posts I have mentioned different types of Physical Therapy that have been used. Today I am going to go into detail on one in particular. HYDROTHERAPY. Hydrotherapy is a type of treatment that is used to decrease pain and increase comfort while doing a specific exercise. Like walking on a tread mill. The different types of exercises you can do are all done inside of a swimming pool that much colder than normal pools. The water will be up to the patient's chest, which helps reduce the weight and pressure on the injured body part and the patient as a whole. The temperature and pressure of the water also help to increase good blood circulation." Alternating the temperatures, either in a shower or complementary tanks, combines the use of hot and cold in the same session. Proponents claim improvement in circulatory system and lymphatic drainage." (Wiki, P18)

         "Hydrotherapy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.         <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrotherapy>.

Interview

In one of my up coming blogs I will be interviewing a professional in the field of Physical Therapy. The professional that I will be interviewing is a Physical Therapist by the name of Brenda Ross. Mrs. Ross is a friends mother whom I have talked to about Physical Therapy before.
My interview will be based around any forms of writing that she uses during her normal work week and how she writes it. Here are some of the questions that I plan on asking Mrs. Ross:

In what ways is writing involved in your workplace?

If any what types of writing strategies do you use and why?

What is your writing process? (Brainstorming, rough draft)

Who is your audience when you write?

What type of formatting is commonly used?

What is the common purpose of your writing?

What mode of delivery is used to present the text?

How do you organize your ideas?

Delivery and Style

http://search.proquest.com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/223117920/13922D8BB9A6AC884A0/7?accountid=12598

This scholarly article hast a lot to do with study's and using physical therapy. The fact that studies were in use makes the author very credible in my book. The author likes to get to the point and supports his point with strong supporting sentences. Big words came into play showing that the author is well educated and knows what they were talking about. The fact that this article is online makes it very accessible to the public and gets this article out there in the world.

http://search.proquest.com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/docview/865703983/13922E3274A6AC884A0/2?accountid=12598

This trade journal talks about how to get your physical therapy practice out there into the public. The author comes off as very informational and obviously educated  in marketing. He grabs your attention through his words and he talks to you as the reader. For example "To succeed as a physical therapy practice, you must set yourself apart. Without the right marketing, most of your potential patients never will hear about you." This style of writing pules you in as a reader and makes you want to learn more. 

http://intouchpt.wordpress.com/

The Physical Therapy blog consists of the authors own methods and ways of doing things. He comes off as credible with his knowledge of the practice and relating to others within his own field. This makes me pay more attention to what he says and how he does things. It written in the first person showing this is how the author does "it". It is an informational blog allowing you to expand your knowledge of the field. 

PT?

So what is Physical Therapy? Why would one go to a Physical Therapist (PT)?
"Physical therapy is a type of treatment you may need when health problems make it hard to move around and do everyday tasks. It helps you move better and may relieve pain."(Web MD, P1) Physical Therapy involves doing doing different exercises to improve your physical function and fitness level.The over all goal/purpose of doing Physical Therapy is to help make your every day exercises easier for your body to handle.

A Physical Therapists' job is to help reduce pain and swelling for an individual and make a proper treatment plan for them. That means selecting the proper exercises for that person to do so that they can increase there flexibility, and strength. "Physical therapy almost always includes exercise. It can include stretching, care exercises, weight lifting, and walking." (Web MD, P6) People will end up going to physical therapy for many different reasons that range from huge sports injuries to minor arthritis pain. There are hundreds of different exercises designed to help a very wide variety of injures or pains.

 "What Is Physical Therapy?" WebMD. WebMD, 03 May 0000. Web. 09 Sept. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/tc/physical-therapy-topic-overview>.

Little Q & A

What are some different types of Physical Therapy?

^Some different types of Physical Therapy are Neurological Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Geriatric Physical Therapy, and Pediatric Physical Therapy.

What types of communication do you use as a Physical Therapist?

What types of treatment are utilized in Physical Therapy?

*Some types of treatments are therapeutic massages, hydrotherapy, and therapeutic exercises. 

Who was the first Physical Therapist?

*The first physical Therapist was Mary McMillan.

What are some different job sites that Physical Therapists' can work at?

Do Physical Therapists work alone, or do they have assistants?

*Physical Therapists have people who work under them called Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA)

What credentials do you need in order to become a Physical Therapist?

When was the first Physical Therapy professional association formed?

*The First professional Physical Therapy association formed in 1921.

What are some of the exercises you will use as a Physical Therapist?

What are some major injures Physical Therapists' work with?

^"Types of Physical Therapy." About.com Physical Therapy. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. 

* Olson, Kenneth A. "Chapters 1-2." Manual Physical Therapy of the Spine. St. Louis, MO: Saunders/Elsevier, 2009. N. pag. Web.

About me

My name is Nickolas Burr, Nick for short. My career goal is to end up running my own Physical Therapy Practice in the near future. I am creating this blog to introduce you (my followers) into the field of Physical Therapy and what you need to do in order to become a Physical Therapist. I am currently a freshman at Michigan State University majoring in Kinesiology (The Scientific Study of Human Movement). I first got interested in Physical Therapy through a teammates mom from my high school baseball team. She is a Physical Therapist and has talked to me a lot about that field of study.

I am very interested in sports and have been playing sports my entire life. I feel that Physical Therapy is a way to keep me close to the sports I love like baseball and basketball. There are lots of sports injures that lead to people needing Physical Therapy. I would like to use my knowledge of both sports and Physical Therapy to be able to get me to the top of the profession. I have many hobbies like sailing, playing baseball with friends, and I love to play ping-pong. Whatever I can do to keep me active! That is why I believe that Physical Therapy is the right career for me!