Rapid Rehab LA Pilates Based Physical Therapy Brentwood California

In 1921 the first edition of the PT Review was published, that year also marked the time when The American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association was formed. The association was led by President Mary McMillan, and included 274 members. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, a nationwide attack of Polio swept through the United States and created an even higher demand for physical therapists. Fro the next 20-30 years, war worn-and-torn soldiers and polio victims would be the main clientele that would make up the roster of physical therapy patient in the United States.

Before what is known as today as the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), was in full force, most of the doctors that were using physical therapy treatments were eighty percent general practitioners. Only twenty percent of those performing physical therapy were properly trained in the field.  Physical therapy has had the same goals throughout its century long existence, to “foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education.” This was used as a catalyst to focus on generating a higher population of individuals with proper knowledge of physical therapy methods.

It wasn’t until the 1950’s that physical therapy began taking its full shape. Manipulative spine treatments and joint practices were introduced in addition to the passive exercises, massage and hydrotherapy previously developed. It was also during this era that physical therapy began to branch out of the “medical” connotation it held and began to practice outside of hospital environments such as colleges, outpatient centers, clinics, nursing homes and public schools.

In the 1970’s a specialized program for Orthopedics emerged. Later that year, the International Federation of Orthopedic Manipulative Therapy (IFOTMT) was official. This federation is greatly responsible for the continually progress and necessary change needed to maintain manual therapy’s worldwide status.

With the introduction of the new “digital world” in the 1980’s new modalities were added to the already expansive list of practices. Ultrasound treatments, cold lasers, Isokinetics (electronic resistance exercises), iontophoresis and electric stimulators rounded out a well-organized attempt at a furthering profession.

With the obvious advances of technology and its effect on the medical profession, a manual therapist from Norway names Freddy Kaltenborne, saw a need for a formal collaboration of training and residency. He was one of the founders of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (AAOMPT). This organization was critical to the physical therapy profession, since it introduced standardized practices and common specializations that would create a bond within all modes of facilities, patients, and therapists.

Out of the development of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy many institutes, universities, residencies and fellowship programs have evolved and thrived. It is easy to forget the advancements that have been made from the days before the polio vaccine became commonplace, and our health was one of life’s biggest luxuries.

Physical therapy continues to reissue new life to those suffering from injuries or ailments that might impede the highest quality of life possible. Without the hard work and research of generations past, physical therapy may not be the lifeline that so many people have found to rescue them from a life with injury.

Physical Therapy has a rich history that spans continents, cultures, and centuries. It has been suggested that the study of Physical Therapy can be dated back to 460 B.C., when physicians like Hippocrates and Hector introduced the practice in its primitive form. Both of them used alternative treatments, and were assumedly the first to introduce hydrotherapy (water pressure) and massage therapy into the world of whole body healing.

The earliest evidence we have of physical therapy implementation dates back to the year 1894. Four nurses introduced the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy to England right before the turn of the century. Even to this day in most countries physical therapy is referred to as Physiotherapy. Only in the United States is physiotherapy referred to as physical therapy.

It wasn’t even until the early 1900’s that physical therapy began to branch out into other parts of the world, besides England as an accepted form of bodywork. It began with the two physicians in the year 1917 that acted as the pioneers paving the road for widely accepted forms of Physical therapies in the United States.

This land bridge between the United States and England was under construction during World War II by two doctors, Frank Granger and Joel Goldthwait. These two gentlemen were summoned by the Surgeon General to investigate British forms of treatment, and what they discovered was the early stages of physical therapy.

It seemed that the British had developed a new way of healing their wounded that was extremely effective, and the United States wanted to develop its own form of physiotherapy to heal our own wounded.

From that point it seemed that Physical Therapy was to be considered one of the most effective ways to treat ailments and injuries. However, training and patient education for practitioners and patients concerning the act of physical therapy needed to be further development.

In 1914 the Walter Reed General Hospital was established in Portland Oregon. This was the beginning of physical therapy inundation in the United States. Some of the most well trained individuals from all over the globe began teaching at the Walter Reed program to and its programs began to shape potential students into highly trained individuals. Upon graduation these early physical therapists were known as “reconstruction aides”.

Within five years there were 45 new hospitals that offered physical therapy, not to mention were fully equipped with proper facilities in which to administer it. From passive exercises to corrective exercises, hydrotherapeutic modalities, massage, and a variety of adaptive equipment; all became readily available and common practice within the medical community.

As is common for the medical profession, continuing research needed to be documented for this newfound landscape of medical proficiency if physical therapy wished to secure it’s footing in the medical community. This marks the time when the profession of physical therapy began to take shape and become more scientifically sound. When the polio epidemic swept the nation in 1924, physical therapy was the first plan of defense on the physically debilitating disease.

Around the same time that Joseph Pilates was beginning his methodology of whole-body wellness, a group of physical therapists were forming an organization. In the year 1921, The American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association was formed. The association was led by President Mary McMillan, and included 274 members.

It wasn’t until the end of the 1930’s that men were admitted into the association, swelling the number of member attendance to nearly 1,000. Since then Physical Therapy has helped millions of people rehabilitate their bodies and reenter a whole new world of personal health.

During the 1940’s and 1950’s, a nationwide attack of Polio swept through the United States and created an even higher demand for physical therapists to the tune of 8,00o additional during that time. Today there is over 71,000 members and is currently called The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Physical therapy has had the same goals throughout its century long existence, to “foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education.”

With support from the health care specialty community, physical therapy is one of the leading responses to musculoskeletal disorders. Physical Therapy’s integration of movement furthers the physical freedom of natural movement within the injured and recovering client. To be a professional physical therapist, a master’s degree or a doctorate is required. This level of educational inundation is one of the reasons that physical therapy has grown in its success, as each physical therapist is extremely apt to handle the responsibilities at hand.

Which specific responsibility each therapist has is dependent upon their area of expertise. There are five different departments, which focus on different aspects of physical therapy. Those areas of concentration are orthopedic, geriatric, neurological, pediatric and cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. Orthopedic Physical therapists focus on outpatient treatment, which is often associated with post-surgical procedures, as well as sports injuries and arthritis.

Geriatric physical therapists concentrate on those that are going through the normal, yet sometimes painful, stages of aging. Neurological therapy focuses on those who suffer from brain damage, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and strokes. Heart surgery patients would most likely be referred to a cardiovascular or pulmonary rehabilitation therapist, to increase their functional independence. Pediatric physical therapy works close at hand with children and infants when an early detection of a birth defect or disease is discovered.

There are a wide variety of facilities that offer physical therapy. From the halls of hospitals to the comfort of small studios, you can find all kinds of outpatient and rehabilitation clinics to choose from. Even some yoga and Pilates studios offer physical therapy as component to their repertoire since physical therapy treatment circumvents the principles found in “whole-body” healing methods.

Oftentimes a physician as a form of beneficiary outpatient treatment prescribes physical therapy. Its wide spanning clientele are a testament to the tried and true methods involved in physical therapy, and will continue to grow in its successes as more and more patients are prescribed involvement.