Physical Therapy
The Profession
Physical therapy is a unique and vital health profession concerned with health promotion, prevention of physical disabilities and the habilitation/rehabilitation of person disabled by pain, disease, or injury. Physical therapy is defined as the assessment, evaluation, treatment and prevention of physical disability, pain and movement dysfunction resulting from injury, disease, disability, or other health related conditions.
Physical Therapy includes
- The performance and interpretation of tests and measurements to assess pathophysiological, pathomechanical, electrophysiological, ergonomic, and developmental deficits of bodily systems to determine diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention.
- The planning, administration, and modification of therapeutic interventions that focus on posture, locomotion, strength, endurance, cardiopulmonary function, balance, coordination, joint mobility, flexibility, pain, healing and repair, and functional abilities in daily living skills, including work.
- The provision of consultative, educational, research and other advisory services.
Licensure and Certification
Physical therapists must pass a national licensure examination in order to practice in the United States. Graduation from an accredited physical therapy curriculum is the first step in becoming licensed. The program at UTHSC is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) with the most recent accreditation being granted in April 2003 for a period of 10 years.
Contact:
Carol Counts Likens, P.T., Ph.D., MBA
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Physical Therapy
The University of Tennessee
Health Science Center
930 Madison – Suite 647
Memphis, TN 38163
901.448.5888
clikens@uthsc.edu
