How many physical therapists are there in the united states

In , there were , physical therapists employed. You need a Single Account for unlimited access. Full access to 1m statistics Incl.

Single Account. View for free. Show source. Show detailed source information? Register for free Already a member? Log in. More information. Supplementary notes. Other statistics on the topic. State of Health Death rates by main cause in Russia Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 21 percent from to , much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 15, openings for physical therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of physical therapists with similar occupations.

Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain. They are often an important part of preventive care, rehabilitation, and treatment for patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries. Physical therapists, sometimes called PTs , care for people of all ages who have functional problems resulting from back and neck injuries; sprains, strains, and fractures; arthritis; amputations; neurological disorders, such as stroke or cerebral palsy; injuries related to work and sports; and other conditions.

Physical therapists use a variety of techniques to care for their patients. These techniques include exercises; training in functional movement, which may include the use of equipment such as canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and walkers; and special movements of joints, muscles, and other soft tissue to improve mobility and decrease pain. The work of physical therapists varies by type of patient. For example, a patient working to recover mobility lost after a stroke needs care different from that of a patient recovering from a sports injury.

Some physical therapists specialize in one type of care, such as orthopedics or geriatrics. Many physical therapists also help patients maintain or improve mobility by developing fitness and wellness programs that encourage healthy, active lifestyles.

Physical therapists work as part of a healthcare team, overseeing the work of physical therapist assistants and aides and consulting with physicians and surgeons and other specialists. Physical therapists held about , jobs in The largest employers of physical therapists were as follows:.

Physical therapists spend much of their time on their feet, working with patients. Because they must often lift and move patients, they are vulnerable to back injuries. Physical therapists can limit these risks by using proper body mechanics and lifting techniques when assisting patients. Most physical therapists work full time, although part time work is common.

They usually work during normal business hours, but some work evenings or weekends. DPT programs typically last 3 years. Physical therapy programs typically require a bachelor's degree , which may be in recreation and fitness or healthcare and related fields, and prerequisite courses such as anatomy, chemistry, and physics. Physical therapist programs often include courses in biomechanics, neuroscience, and pharmacology.

Physical therapist students also complete clinical work, during which they gain supervised experience in areas such as acute care and orthopedic care. Physical therapists may apply to a clinical residency program after graduation. Residencies typically last about 1 year and provide additional training and experience in specialty areas of care.

Physical therapists who have completed a residency program may choose to specialize further by participating in a fellowship in an advanced clinical area. The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education has directories of physical therapist residency and fellowship programs. All states require physical therapists to be licensed, which includes passing the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

Other requirements vary by state. For example, some states also require a law exam and a criminal background check. Continuing education is typically required for physical therapists to keep their license.

Check with your state board for specific licensing requirements. After gaining work experience, some physical therapists choose to become a board-certified specialist. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties offers certification in clinical specialty areas of physical therapy, such as orthopedics, sports, and geriatrics.

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals. Home Health Care Services. Specialty except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals. Outpatient Care Centers. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Physical therapists as measured by average annual salary in the US.

In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Physical therapists shown in red than for the overall labor force shown in gray. The most common industries employing Physical therapists, by number of employees, are Outpatient care centers , General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty except psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals , and Home health care services.

The number of people employed as Physical therapists has been growing at a rate of 6. This graphic shows the share of Physical therapists employed by various industries. Outpatient care centers employs the largest share of Physical therapists at Demographic information on Physical therapists in the US. The average age of male Physical therapists in the workforce is This chart shows the gender breakdown of Physical therapists.