As I am about to head to college, picking a career is a vital thing for me. Over the past year, I have found my love for physical therapy. I love being able to help people regain their strength. Seeing what you have done to make your patient better makes the job worth it. This is why I have chosen to pursue this career. Physical therapy has changed drastically in the past decade. It used to be just for healing, but now therapists train athletes and much more. 

     The definition of physical therapy is the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than by drugs or surgery. For people wanting to go into the medical field, this is a good path for those who do not like the gory parts of the health field. There are many different types of physical therapy. Some locations use swimming pools  to do aquatherapy. This has been proven to help joint flexibility, decrease pain, improve balance, and much more.  

     Another way to do physical therapy is by dry needling. Dry needling has become popular over the past couple of years. Dry needling helps tightened muscles relax, increases blood flow, and reduces pain. A lot of new therapists use this method. Most patients say that this is very productive for them and actually look forward to having it done. It is a new technique that a lot of clinics are providing now. I actually have been dry needled before. It does help with tightness and also wakes up muscles in your body that might have been inactive for a while. 

     Physical therapy is one of the fastest growing fields to go into. The job outlook for therapists is supposed to grow 17% in the next couple years which is much faster than the average rate. Physical therapy will always be needed in life. It is something most people will have to go through at some point in their life. Physical therapy is used for more than just post surgical procedures. Some kids may need therapy to learn how to walk right as they are developing. Some people just simply want better flexibility and hope that the therapists can provide that for them. 

     In conclusion, physical therapy provides lots of care for people. Whether you just had a surgery done or you are trying to learn how to walk right, therapists are there to help. Some people do not know that therapists are doctors. Even though they can not prescribe medicine, they have doctorate degrees in physical therapy. Their biggest goal is to help you function to the best of your ability. Some people are just more agile than others. That is why therapists focus on what you can do and personalize their treatment plans. I am looking forward to pursuing a career in physical therapy. I know it will be a long road with seven years of school, but in the end I know my hard work will pay off. Being able to help people will be the best reward for me.