Toni Talks about PT Today : APTA and State PT Associations

The Pretty, Young Therapist

Toni Patt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:10:00 GMT

Last week something was said during rounds that I'm still angry about. We were discussing a new admission. Since my case load was low, I asked if I needed to see the patient. In response, I was told the patient had been given to the young, pretty therapist...(read more)

October is PT Month

Toni Patt — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:30:00 GMT

Tomorrow morning my department is going to have a breakfast for all the PTs to celebrate PT month. The food will be provided by the OTs, STs and supervisors. Sometime next week the rehab unit is supposed to do something similar. I'll be surprised if that...(read more)

The Annual APTA Questionnaire

Toni Patt — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:26:00 GMT

Last weekend I finally got around to completing the annual questionnaire sent out to members by the APTA. It's probably about 50 questions, excluding demographics, about the practice of physical therapy. There were the expected "how would you rate the...(read more)

The Problem with Continuing Education

Toni Patt — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:21:00 GMT

I'm a continuing education junkie. I love going to courses. Home study courses aren't bad either. I've had to cut down and limit myself lately because things have gotten so expensive. I will no longer travel for a course, unless it's NDT next year. I've...(read more)

We Must Be Professionals

Toni Patt — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:30:00 GMT

I learned something interesting today. Only APTA members are bound by its Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics. No disciplinary action can be taken against a non-member for violation of either code. That made me sit back and think. Just about every conversation...(read more)

Informed Consent

Toni Patt — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:12:00 GMT

While I was researching an assignment for my latest class, I ran across an article about informed consent and physical therapy. The article stated that in a patient centered environment, consent must be granted for any procedure or activity that is outside...(read more)

This Was a Learning Experience

Toni Patt — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:22:00 GMT

Recently I had the opportunity to work with a different PTA on the rehab unit. She'd worked there off and on over the years and more recently has been filling in as needed. For some reason I hadn't met her previously. I'm sorry to say I wish I would have...(read more)

Do We Really Want Direct Access?

Toni Patt — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:21:00 GMT

Last month at the SED (southeast district) of the TPTA meeting, the topic of discussion was the status of direct access in Texas. Both speakers encouraged the membership to get involved by contacting state representatives in support of the measure. They...(read more)

My Horse Sprained His Ankle…

Toni Patt — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:01:00 GMT

Last week one of my horses sprained his ankle. Even though most Arabians are graceful creatures, this one is a klutz. Like any good physical therapist, as soon as I heard sprained ankle my first question was whether or not it had been iced. The next question was how often ice would be applied. The response to these questions was a blank stare. They looked at me like I didn't have a clue what I was talking about. To me it seemed obvious. Soft tissue injury equals ice in the first 48 hours. I thought everyone knew to put ice on an acute injury.

The problem had nothing to do with communication or the proper treatment of an ankle sprain. The problem was that I wanted to put ice on my horse. Why wouldn't I put ice on his sprained ankle? It's a soft tissue injury. You ice acute soft tissue injuries. As far as I know, soft tissue behaves the same way no matter if it is human, rat, dog or horse. How else could researchers do animal studies and carry the science over to humans? I'm sure there have been plenty of animal studies using the various modalities found in a PT clinic. Horses can't talk, but they can communicate pain. He would simply move his foot away if he was uncomfortable. Cost wasn't an issue. All that was needed was a hose and a water source, both of which were readily available. I could stand there and run cold water over the ankle. It just didn't make sense.

It never occurred to anyone to treat the ankle beyond a topical agent, an elastic wrap and keeping him in his stall for immobilization. This is a show horse. He is worth more than a small, used car. Until this, I thought he would receive the best care possible. Why don't animals receive some kind of physical therapy when they become injured? When my dog blew his ACL a few years ago, the surgeon offered doggy therapy in his office using underwater treadmills. I've since seen similar tanks large enough to accommodate a horse. It's obviously possible.

Animals, pets in particular, are a large part of our lives. I've had patients who missed their dog or cat more than family. I've heard numerous stories of how a patient paid thousands of dollars to save a beloved pet. We have "caring critters" who visit hospitalized individuals. I thought the possibility of PT was a no-brainer. I was wrong. Obviously, a vet can't bill for physical therapy. But a vet could bill for hydrotherapy. And though it almost kills me to say so, a well-trained technician could perform the actual therapy under the guidance of a vet. That avoids any issues with proper licensure. There are some veterinary schools that provide such therapy. There's one in Tennessee. Another one is in Texas.

At one time, the APTA had an animal therapy section. I believe it was included under the orthopedic section. I don't know if it still exists. I couldn't find it when I looked. I'm not advocating for PTs to start treating animals at the expense of humans. There's enough of a PT shortage as it is. I do think basic injury management such as ice, elevation when possible, etc., is appropriate. With a little home program training, a pet owner could do it at home. If, as in the case of Jude, aka the klutz, it takes a PT to point out the obvious then so be it. A little icing could go a long way to shortening recovery time and decreasing pain.

Yes, I would rather spend my day treating horses than what I do now. That's not going to happen. If it did happen, it would be on a very small, localized scale. Nor is it realistic to expect animal therapy clinics are in the near future. The vet at my barn is very good. I doubt he would have had a problem with me icing Jude's leg. He just never would have thought of it. I think it's reasonable to expect basic treatment be available for simple injuries. Whether it comes from a vet or a concerned owner isn't as important as if the treatment is appropriate and timely.