Take The First Step Towards Becoming a Physical Therapist
High schoolers who dream about becoming physical therapists need to take that first step and enroll in a degree program. Whether that program is for pre-athletic training, exercise science, or anything similar, these degrees include a number of courses that will teach you first aid, anatomy, and more. The goal of these degree programs is to set you up for passing the tests required to become a licensed physical therapist. What do these programs usually include? Here are some of the most common courses you’ll likely see.
Learn More About Anatomy and Physiology
One of the first things that students take in an exercise science program are courses in anatomy and physiology. After all, in order to know how the body moves and functions, you first need to know how it’s constructed. These courses are usually taught together (anatomy and physiology), and there may be two of them required for students who are in the program. The first will teach the basics, while the other will go into further depth and detail.
Take Classes on First Aid and Safety
In addition to learning about how the body is constructed, students also need to know first aid and have some safety training. Yes, even if working in a clinical setting, it’s crucial for physical therapists to be able to apply a tourniquet, do CPR, prevent choking, and other, simpler things like applying an Ace bandage, putting on KT tape, and even knowing which type of bandage to use even in non-urgent situations.
Discover the Details of Sports Nutrition
Nutrition is another important part of physical therapy. Specially, sports nutrition, which is designed to provide a physical therapist’s patients with the healthy foods that they need in order to fuel their lifestyles. By learning more about nutrition from this point of view, you’ll be able to advocate for healthy diets, as well as point out what your patients should be eating in order to get through their workouts and live a fit and healthy life.
Become an Expert on Kinesiology and Movement
Once anatomy and physiology are fully understood, the next step involves learning more about movement. A physical therapist needs to have a solid background in kinesiology and general movement in order to come up with exercises and movement tools that will help their patients. Without a background in these subjects, you would come up short and not be able to fulfill the job requirements. Also, like with anatomy and physiology, there are often two levels of kinesiology courses.
Earn Your Exercise Science Degree at Dean College
Do you want to become a physical therapist? If so, then you could start out your career with a degree in exercise science at Dean College. Both associate and bachelor’s degrees are available, and both will provide you with the groundwork for becoming a licensed physical therapist who knows how to help their patients become fitter, healthier people, whether they are prime athletes or just the average person who’s suffering from back pain. The possibilities are endless.