Career Colleges » Missouri » Health, Medical, and Nursing » Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation
Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Missouri offering Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation degrees. Physical therapy can increase mobility, and prevent permanent physical disabilities. Other physical therapists work in sports clinics and for sports teams.
Missouri college students enjoy living in this proverbial ?Gateway to the West,' with its blend of Midwestern, Southern and Western flavors. Missouri is more than just a waypoint on the pioneer trail, however. Missouri is a lively state, with major cities including Kansas City and St. Louis, with cultural attractions on a par with any other American city of that size. Job opportunities are strong in Missouri, should you decide to stay after college is completed. Aerospace, food processing and light manufacturing predominate, and there are also opportunities in agriculture and mining. Whatever your long-term goals, starting your career with an education at a Missouri college is likely to be a great start.Therapeutic rehabilitation programs consisting of therapeutic exercises, manual therapeutic techniques and guidelines for progressive return to their prior level of activity.
Occupational therapy and physical therapy focus on helping people get back on their feet, sometimes literally. After an accident or debilitating illness, some patients discover that they can't perform many of the routine functions to which they were accustomed. An occupational or physical therapist will help patients slowly rebuild atrophied muscles, increase range of movement, strengthen weakened bones, and overcome various psychological or emotional hurdles whenever necessary. Rehabilitation is usually a very slow process, and as such, those who want to become an occupational therapist or physical therapist must develop tremendous patience and understanding.
Physical therapy is a regulated profession that requires licensing and certification. As such, most clinics will only hire those who have graduated from rehabilitation and therapeutic programs. In these programs, one typically learns medicine, anatomy, physiology, massage therapy, physical therapy, heat therapy, hydrotherapy, diet & nutrition, yoga, chiropractic medicine, counseling, psychology, plus so much more. Because injuries and illnesses come in all shapes and sizes, a competent physical therapist must have a wide range of disciplines under his or her belt in order to provide optimal care to patients.
According to the US Department of Labor, career opportunities for this particular occupational group will grow much faster than the national average for most other occupations. Like many professions in health care, physical therapists will enjoy extremely favorable growth as baby boomers transition into old age and retirement. Suffice to say that the current median salary of $60,000 a year will rise accordingly as demand for more physical therapists increases.
Source: US Department of Labor