According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients. | 95% |
| Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention. | 95% |
| Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer. | 94% |
| Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home. | 93% |
| Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit. | 93% |
| Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program. | 93% |
| Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling. | 93% |
| Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions. | 93% |
| Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel. | 92% |
| Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data. | 92% |
| Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required. | 91% |
| Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation. | 91% |
| Provide information to the patient about the proposed intervention, its material risks and expected benefits, and any reasonable alternatives. | 88% |
| Provide educational information about physical therapy or physical therapists, injury prevention, ergonomics, or ways to promote health. | 87% |
| Inform patients and refer to appropriate practitioners when diagnosis reveals findings outside physical therapy. | 87% |
| Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals. | 86% |
| Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet or infrared lamps, or ultrasound machines. | 78% |
| Refer clients to community resources or services. | 76% |
| Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices. | 75% |
| Evaluate, fit, or adjust prosthetic or orthotic devices or recommend modification to orthotist. | 75% |
| Teach physical therapy students or those in other health professions. | 74% |
| Conduct or support research and apply research findings to practice. | 70% |
| Participate in community or community agency activities or help to formulate public policy. | 64% |
| Direct group rehabilitation activities. | 61% |
