Physical Therapists are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest. Physical therapists treat patients who have medical problems, conditions, illnesses, or injuries that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities as well as they would like in their daily lives. Physical Therapy is designed to improve range of motion in joints, decrease pain, increase muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance, decrease inflammation in joints, improve balance, coordination, and walking ability, correction of deformities or malalignments, and prevention of injury. Physical Therapists use therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, modalities such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation to decrease pain, and vestibular exercises for balance and gait.
Occupational Therapists are healthcare professionals whose aim is to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational Therapy (OT) does not directly correlate to a job but rather the occupation of living, focusing on daily activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from physical and mental health issues. Occupational Therapists provide care through restorative treatment methods and adaptive techniques to improve life skills of their patients. These skills include dressing, shopping, return to work and driving, playing and coping with a disability. The ultimate goal of occupational therapy is to help clients have independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
Speech-Language Pathologists are healthcare professionals who evaluate and treat individuals of all ages with disorders involving speech, language, swallowing and cognition. Speech services begin with initial screening for communication and swallowing disorders and continue with assessment and diagnosis, consultation regarding management, intervention and treatment, and provision counseling and other follow up services for these disorders.
Respiratory Therapists are healthcare professionals who evaluate and treat individuals of all ages with respiratory associated illnesses such as asthma, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchitis and sleep apnea.
