Sports rehabilitation has existed in one form or another essentially as long as sports themselves. Injuries are an inevitable side-effect that can strike without a moments notice when training for or competing in sports, often times on a seemingly routine play or action.
In recent years, there has been a shift in the demographics of those in need of sports rehabilitation; more and more teenagers are suffering sports-related injuries which had previously been more commonly seen in athletes nearly twice their age. The cause of this trend is not difficult to pinpoint, it primarily boils down to the fact that kids are being veered towards organized sports at younger ages than ever before.
Merely competing at younger ages is not the sole reason for the rise in injuries requiring sports rehabilitation, however. Many younger athletes are also engaging in sports specialization earlier in life, which can increase potential injury risks. Sports specialization is essentially the focusing of your time and effort towards an individual sport and training and competing in that sport year-round. This strategy of training -- especially when invoked at a young age -- can be very taxing on the body due to the reduced amounts of rest and recovery typically associated with the method.
One surgical procedure requiring sports rehabilitation is ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction -- more commonly known as Tommy John surgery. This procedure became somewhat common among college and professional baseball players, pitchers most of all, in the 80s and 90s. Due to the cumulative nature of the UCL injury, teenagers would rarely need the surgery -- until recently.
In the last decade there has been an influx of teens needing Tommy John surgery in order to continue on in their playing career. The reason for this sudden and sharp rise is that young baseball players have drastically increased the wear and tear on their arms due to the expectation of throwing better and faster at younger ages. Young pitchers are being taught to throw breaking balls and sidearm as early as 10 or 11 in some cases. Utilizing these advanced pitching techniques comes at price in the form of increased stress on your muscles and ligaments, a stress which teenagers' bodies are not quite prepared to face.
All of this results in an increased concern for parents to address their teenage athlete's possible sports rehabilitation needs for now and in the near future. The expectation is for this trend to continue as more and more emphasis is placed on children to excel at sports through increased training and competition.
Working for a traveling physical therapy company is an exciting and fulfilling career opportunity chosen by many physical and occupational therapists all across the country. Rather than settling down in one location and only escaping for short vacations, professionals working for traveling physical therapy companies can spend the whole year traveling to the most exciting and beautiful cities throughout the country. By choosing this career options, you can take time to experience every region of America while utilizing your skills as a physical therapist.
Whether you are a recent college graduate looking to embark on a cross-country escapade or an experienced professional searching for an exciting career change, working with a traveling physical therapy company can provide you with the adventure you crave. Before you jump into your new career, however, take some time to learn how you can locate the best position from the best company.
One of the greatest benefits to working with a traveling physical therapy company, besides the exotic job locations, is the generous salary. Generally, physical therapists in traveling and per diem positions make a great deal more than professionals in permanent office positions. The income boost assists physical therapists in quickly repaying their student loans and other debts while providing plenty of opportunities to increase experience in the field.
In order to make sure you are getting the best salary for your experience level, take time to compare several opportunities. Because most physical therapists are paid based on education level and experience, salaries are very competitive. Be sure to research each position thoroughly to ensure you are being paid adequately for your educational and professional background. There is no reason to take a smaller salary for one job when you can benefit from a larger salary elsewhere.
Most traveling physical therapy companies choose destinations based on where their services are needed most. However, you may have a personal preference. For example, some physical therapists prefer to work closer to their families. Some therapists would rather work close to the sunny, sandy beaches of the coast while others seek snow capped mountains or rolling farmlands. Be sure to ask your recruiter about which locations they send professionals to most often. While you may not have full control over your destination, knowing the possibilities can assist you in choosing a position.
Remember that working for a traveling physical therapy company can open the door to a whole host of future career prospects. Not only will you have the opportunity to work in some of the most celebrated hospitals, clinics and schools throughout the country, but you will also have the chance to network with top professionals in your field. As you will soon learn, some of the most recognized and best paid physical therapists started by working for a traveling physical therapy company.
Health care. Affordable health care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The issue of providing health care to Americans has been a constant on the American political landscape for decades. And the issue only seems to have become "all the rage" because of the great deal of outrage that surrounds it. As physical therapists, you have your own opinions about the Act, about what's good and what's bad about it, both as an insured person and as a health care professional. And you have concerns. Questions. Primary among those, at least from a professional standpoint, are whether the PPACA will impact the profession and, if so, in what way(s)?
As October is National Physical Therapy month and it has been 18 months since passage of the PPACA, now would be an appropriate time to look at the effect of the legislation on our area of specialization. In response to specific questions from the Institute of Medicine about how physical therapy fits into PPACA and health reform, the American Physical Therapy Association replied:
Physical therapists are qualified to provide rehabilitative services, a defined category of essential health benefits by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.... Essential rehabilitation services are also those that are necessary for the establishment of a safe and effective maintenance program for the patient.... Rehabilitative services should be provided by qualified health care professionals currently authorized under federal law...such as physical therapists.
The APTA is attempting to establish physical therapy as being an essential service under the Act, ensuring those services are specifically covered. But that only addresses part of the Act's potential impact.
In fact, the PPACA has already effected our profession. More Americans than ever are or will become insured, thereby increasing the number of potential patients requiring post-acute, rehabilitation or habilitative care. What remains unknown is which types of treatment we provide those new patients will be covered under the act.
Thus far, physical therapy is not defined as a primary care option under the Affordable Care Act. There is, however, no question that physical therapists engage in rehabilitative as well as habilitative services. The Act has the effect of covering those services. What we need to remember, though, is that the rehabilitative essential benefit designation under the Act also includes devices related to physical therapy (e.g., prosthetics). You must establish the medical need for any device you recommend so that the cost to your patient is covered.
There is also a growing belief that payment for or reimbursement of costs associated with rehabilitative or habilitative physical therapy will turn on whether you have established that the treatment you provide makes a real, rather than perceived difference. Evidence-based therapy requires that you show the actual effect on patient outcomes. The APTA is working towards creating a "National Outcomes Database" that will provide data sufficient to demonstrate the efficacy of the the treatment physical therapists provide. Evidence-based therapy is seen by many to be critical to how we will get paid in the future.
And getting paid is what is part of what it's all about, no? Concerns remain that the Act will not provide sufficient coverage for what we do and that we may need to consider creating Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). ACOs are now seen as perhaps the best way for physical therapy to be deemed primary care under the Act, significantly increasing insurance coverage.
All in all, the jury is still out on the overall impact of the PPACA on physical therapists. Stay tuned.
Perhaps you are contemplating a career as a physical therapist. Maybe you've just finished your training or perhaps you are an experienced professional and thinking about a change.
Well there's good news!
Right now and for the foreseeable future, the demand for physical therapy is on the rise which is driving higher than average salaries for therapists making this industry a desirable and smart choice for a career.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11 Edition, demand for physical therapists will see a projected growth rate of about 30% through 2018. This high rate of growth exceeds most other professions and is due to a number of factors including:
- An increase in the number of elderly patients as the baby boomer generation ages;
- An increase in the number and type of injuries and illnesses that were previously untreatable;
- Changes to the rules regarding third-party payers, giving PT access to more patients; and
- An increase in demand for physical therapists in schools.
The highest rate of growth is in acute care and nursing homes where the elderly will see treatment. If you don't mind living out in the country look for great opportunities in rural areas which are typically undeserved by physical therapy companies that tend to focus on large urban areas.
So, how much can I earn?
But you searched for and found this article looking for info on salaries for physical therapists. Well, here you are
(As I noted above, the data was taken from the Department of Labor):
| |
Annual
|
Hourly
|
% of jobs
|
| Lowest |
$53,620 |
$25.78 |
10% |
| Average |
$76,310 |
$36.69 |
50% |
| Highest |
$107,920 |
$51.89 |
10% |
(note: the salaries are an average of the range meaning the top 10% of physical therapy jobs earn an average salary of $107,920. In other words, some top earners earn more than that.)
That looks pretty good.
The highest salaries are found in the home health care services which average around $86,590 a year. Home health care is growing and although most jobs are still found in hospitals and private facilities, home health and nursing care facilities are experiencing significant growth.
Where should I work?
If salary is your main criteria, the highest paying physical therapy jobs are found in Texas and Alaska. Central Texas and the areas along the Gulf of Mexico have a whopping average salary of over $95,000 a year.
Alaska, if you don't mind the weather, is looking at an average of over $92,000 with Fairbanks clocking in at an amazing average of over $100K!
Madera, California, according to the Department of Labor, is at the top of the scale with an average salary of over $108K per year but the statistics show that only about 30 jobs were available.
- States with the most jobs.
California seems to have the highest number of physical therapy jobs with 14,860 while the state of New York is second with about 13,7500 jobs followed by Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania.
- Cities with the most jobs.
Metropolitan areas appear to have higher salaries because the cost of living tends to be higher in those urban areas.
Of the top 5 cities, New York City is top with over 7,000 (average salary about $84k) jobs. Chicago is second with over 5,500 ($80k avg.). Third is Los Angeles at 4,430 ($84.5K) followed by Boston (3290, $73.5k) and Nassau-Suffolk, NY (2880, $79.5k)
Overall, it's a good time for professionals in the physical therapy industry. You can look forward to growth exceeding the national average and you can expect good salaries all over the country.
For more detailed information on the statistics
click here to see the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. An updated report is expected in March 2012.
-Susan C.-