Physical therapy aide jobs are becoming more popular in today’s caring society.  Their role is to help physical therapists give the treatment to patients to improve their mobility, relieve pain, and decrease the physical disabilities of the patients. However, the main role of the physical therapy aide is to prepare the therapy equipment so that the physical therapy training can take place. The physical therapist aide may also provide part of the patient’s treatment under the direction of the physical therapist.  This may involve performing massages, doing ultrasound and helping the patient to carry out their set exercises.

Physical therapy aides will also be required to carry out a certain amount of paperwork such as recording the patient’s progress to the treatment they are receiving and ordering supplies required to carry out treatment.  They may also be required to fill out forms such as insurance forms.

Another main role is to maintain the treatment area and to ensure it is kept clean and organized ready for each patient’s therapy. When a patient requires help getting around the treatment areas, the aide will also help by moving the patients around in wheelchairs or by steadying their progress by allowing the patient to lean against them as they go. However, physical therapy aides will be able to perform any clinical tasks since they do not need to be licensed in most States of the United States.

In general the work carried out by the physical therapy aide is quite strenuous and requires a certain amount of physical exertion on the part of the aide.  Because of this, a physical therapy aide is required to be reasonably fit.

The hours of work for a physical therapy assistant can be very varied and a number of physical therapy aides operate on a part time basis.  The reason for this is that there are a number of outpatient offices which operate during evenings and weekends to cater for the patients needs.

When it comes to training, the majority of physical therapy aides are trained whilst doing the job.  However, it is normal for an assistant to gain an assistant degree from an accredited physical therapist assistant program.  There are currently well over 230 accredited physical therapist assistant programs currently in the United States to enable you to get an associate degree. Accredited programs normally last 2 years and end with the earning of an associate degree. As this is the case, it is generally expected that in order to become a physical therapist aide, a minimum of a high school diploma should be held.  As long as this is held as a minimum, then the relevant training can be achieved whilst in employment. This is also a good stepping-stone to being able to becoming a qualified physical therapist since; the majority of the treatments that are administered will become understood over time.

The average salary for a physical therapy aide in the United States ranges from around  $17000 a year up to $30000 a year. This is all dependant on the state in which you are working.

Although this is a fairly good wage, the work is quite taxing and it will also be expected of you to buy training material as you learn your trade.

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