Have you come across a physical therapist over the age of 35?

[clifffaith]

I'm in my third round of physical therapy. I have never seen a therapist who looked older than 35. What happens to the older ones? Does their job take such a toll they have to go something else?

 

[jonmaiman]

I know two of them in my area. One is in his early sixties and plans to retire very soon. The other not sure of her exact age, but mid fifties to early sixties is my best guest. She is a pediatric PT and did wonderful things for my daughter when she was a toddler. The trend is to have more and more of the treatment done by PTA's (Physical Therapy Assistants) under the supervision of PT. PT licensure now requires a doctorate (DPT). The ROI on the education cost versus earnings is skewed.

--Jon

 

[Talent312]

I've personally known older PT's, but was always assigned to younger ones.
Better strength, maybe.
-------------------------
BTW, my insurance wouldn't cover 2 PT evals L/T 6 months apart
... even though one was for a shoulder and the other for my neck.
Seems they used the same diagnosis code, which was the kicker.
I was gonna appeal, but they wrote-off most of the 2nd eval.
.

 

[SandyPGravel]

I had PT a couple years ago for a frozen shoulder she was over 35. One of my friends is a PT, but currently she's teaching others to become PTA's. She's in her early 50's.

 

[VacationForever]

I have been undergoing PT for the past 4 months for 2 separate issues. My PTs' ages range from 28 to about 55.

 

[needvaca]

Yes, PT does take a toll on one's body. A couple of my mom friends are PTs in hospitals. They work part-time now, mostly because full-time was too physically strenuous for them- and these are very in shape women. They both hope to be done by 50. They have stories about straining their knees or tweaking their backs when trying to help lift a 300 lb patient or a volatile patient who makes a sudden move.

 

[Luanne]

My sister was a PT until she decided to change careers. She is a small woman and the physical demands were starting to get to her. She didn't want to go into administration. So she changed careers completely and became an elementary school teacher. I don't remember at what age she made this change.

 

[wackymother]

I have, but they were the supervisors at pt clinics or the owners of their own pt businesses. It's a very strenuous job, as everyone is saying.

 

[bluehende]

I have but that is a factor of how many times I have been in PT not that older therapists are not rare.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

This may be strange, but I've had three PTs and all three of them were over 55. It seems like most of the PTs in our area have a master's degree. They've told me that having only a bachelor's is a big limitation career-wise. But we live in Southern Ca. and perhaps that draws people in and the supply is high enough that there is a lot of competition.

I am a very strong believer in PT (or as I refer to it: "Physical terrorism"). It has made a world of positive difference in my life. I have seen people who "pu pu'd" PT and ended up with significant life-long limitations on range of motion. For me, when the insurance stopped paying, I continued to go. Also, I duplicated all of their equipment (it's pretty simple and basic) so I did PT at home even on the days when I didn't go in for the formal PT.

 

[pittle]

This may be strange, but I've had three PTs and all three of them were over 55. It seems like most of the PTs in our area have a master's degree. They've told me that having only a bachelor's is a big limitation career-wise. But we live in Southern Ca. and perhaps that draws people in and the supply is high enough that there is a lot of competition.

I am a very strong believer in PT (or as I refer to it: "Physical terrorism"). It has made a world of positive difference in my life. I have seen people who "pu pu'd" PT and ended up with significant life-long limitations on range of motion. For me, when the insurance stopped paying, I continued to go. Also, I duplicated all of their equipment (it's pretty simple and basic) so I did PT at home even on the days when I didn't go in for the formal PT.

I called it "Physical Torture" when I had it for a broken elbow.

 

[WinniWoman]

When I went for therapy last year- which was a big waste for me- the main guy I had was probably in his early 50's oor maybe late 40's.

 

[DaveNV]

My primary Physical Therapist during my recovery from knee surgery last Fall was a guy about 50. He talked about his adult sons coming to visit him, now that they’re “out of the house.” His Assistant, however, couldn’t have been 30, if that much.

So yes, they’re out there.

Dave

 

[controller1]

I'm married to a PT who is 63! Of course she has been retired for about 8 years....

 

[Luanne]

This may be strange, but I've had three PTs and all three of them were over 55. It seems like most of the PTs in our area have a master's degree. They've told me that having only a bachelor's is a big limitation career-wise. But we live in Southern Ca. and perhaps that draws people in and the supply is high enough that there is a lot of competition.

This was another reason my sister left the PT field. She was living in southern California and the amount of additional classes they wanted them to take was getting to her. She said that if the requirement for a master's had been around when she became a PT she probably wouldn't have gone into that field.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

When I destroyed my shoulder, I found a surgeon that had done a couple of thousands of reconstructive shoulder surgeries. After the surgery he commented that in 20 years and thousands of surgeries, I was tied with one other person for the number of anchors they used. They used eight expensive ($800 each) anchors to re-attach two completely separated tendons. Today I have 100% usage. So, my surgeon is a "rock star". My PT team are also rock-stars.

My SIL had shoulder issues. She worked for Mayo Clinic in Mn. (highly respected, but they didn't believe in PT). She had abraded a tendon. They did surgery. They paid for TWO (yes, only two) PT sessions. Now, 5 or 10 years later she has only about 50% usage of her shoulder. She cannot comb her hair or fasten her bra. So, IMHO, PT would have really helped her.