Orthopedic for physical therapist’s assistant

The aim of the first edition of Orthopaedics for
the Physical Therapist Assistant was to fill a void
in the literature for the physical therapist assistant (PTA) student or clinician studying orthopaedics.
The scope of practice for the PTA continues to evolve,
requiring the PTA to stay current with the field of
physical therapy. There is a vast amount of information available related to orthopaedics, and with both
an ever-increasing demand for instant results and
continuing advances in technology, the PTA is tasked
with providing an efficient level of care while working
with other members of the healthcare team.
Although the medical profession is moving toward
an increased reliance on the findings from imaging
studies, such as computed axial tomography (CAT)
and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), physical therapy continues to rely on the subjective and
objective findings from the physical examination. For
any patient interaction to be successful, an accurate
diagnosis is essential, and through the move toward
evidence-based testing, the accuracy of the physical
therapy diagnosis continues to be enhanced.
Once the correct diagnosis has been established, a
carefully planned and specific rehabilitation program
for both the affected area and its related structures
must follow. This approach must take into consideration the anatomy and biomechanics of the involved
structures and the stage of healing. Each intervention
must be individualized to the patient, which requires
an eclectic approach, because no single method works
all of the time.
This text attempts to provide the student with
the essential information regarding evidence-based
guidelines for the assessment and rehabilitation of the
orthopaedic patient.