Physical Therapist Aides

Career summary

Physical therapy aides usually do tasks that are indirectly related to patient care. For example, they set up and clean treatment areas. They organize and clean equipment. They maintain equipment and furniture to keep it in good working condition.

They also help patients move to or from a therapy area. For example, they may push them in a wheelchair or assist them in walking. They help patients in dressing or undressing, and putting on and removing supportive devices. They also help position and secure patients to therapy equipment.

Physical therapist aides who work in hospitals change bed linens. They help feed patients, and bathe patients on bed rest.

Physical therapy aides also do clerical tasks. They answer phones, order supplies, and fill out insurance forms. Sometimes they record treatment details in patients' charts.

In some states, physical therapist aides may teach and assist patients with exercises to help improve functioning and mobility. They may also provide treatments such as light, sound, water, or electrical modalities. Aides record treatment given and equipment used. They may accompany assistants when they report patients' responses to physical therapists.

Related careers

This career is part of the Health Science cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Dental Assistants
• Hearing Aid Specialists
• Home Health Aides
• Life Guards and Ski Patrollers
• Occupational Therapist Aides
• Occupational Therapist Assistants
• Personal and Home Care Aides
• Pharmacy Aides
• Pharmacy Technicians
• Physical Therapist Assistants
• Physical Therapists
• Veterinary Assistants

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to physical therapist aides.

• Keep treatment areas clean and organized.
• Instruct and assist patients with exercises to improve functioning and mobility. Follow directions of medical staff.
• Secure patients to therapy equipment.
• Help patients to and from treatment areas.
• Perform clerical tasks, such as answering the phone, ordering supplies, or filling out forms.
• Maintain equipment and furniture.
• Change linens, such as bed sheets and pillow cases.
• Organize treatment supplies.
• Help feed residents and bathe residents on bed rest.
• Assist patients with dressing, and putting on and removing supportive devices.
• Help assistants evaluate patients to determine effects of treatments.
• Help assistants administer traction to relieve neck and back pain.
• May record patients' responses to treatment and report them to the physical therapist.
• May record which treatments were given and the equipment used.
• May fit patients for braces and other supportive devices, such as crutches.
• May train patients to use equipment such as braces, prostheses, or crutches.
• May help with treatments such as massage or heat or cold packs.
• May help with electrical treatments, such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound.
• Confer with physical therapists and other staff about treatment plans for patients.

Common work activities

Physical therapist aides perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Assist and care for others
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Get information needed to do the job
• Handle and move objects
• Perform for or work with the public
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Document and record information
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Process information
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Evaluate information against standards
• Develop and build teams
• Use computers
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Schedule work and activities
• Think creatively

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, physical therapist aides:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social interaction. They work closely with patients and physical therapy staff.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of patients.
• Communicate with coworkers and patients daily in person or via telephone. They also write e-mails, but less often.
• Often deal with angry or discourteous patients.
• Are responsible for their work outcomes.
• Write letters and memos on a weekly or monthly basis.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Are exposed to diseases on a daily basis.
• Work very near coworkers and patients. They often work within inches of others.
• Sometimes wear protective or safety gear, such as gloves.

Work performance

• Must be sure their work is exact. Errors could harm or injure patients.
• Repeat the same physical activities, such as helping patients to and from treatment areas.
• Sometimes make decisions that affect patients. They consult physical therapists and assistants for some decisions, but make most without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set some of their tasks for the day without talking to a supervisor. This is because they do many of the same tasks with each patient.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a weekly basis.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• Usually work 40 hours a week.

Physical demands

Physical therapist aides frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Bend or twist their body.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for physical therapist aides to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for physical therapist aides to be able to:

• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Determine the distance between objects.

Skills and abilities

Physical therapist aides need to:

Communicate

• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Physical Therapy Assisting

Other programs of study to consider

• Athletic Training
• Chiropractic Assisting
• Health Aide
• Massage Therapy
• Medical Assisting
• Occupational Therapy Assisting

Training

To work as a physical therapist aide, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

No formal training is required beyond high school.

Work experience

Experience helping and working with people is good preparation for this occupation.

On-the-job training

Most physical therapist aides learn their skills on the job from experienced workers. You may spend up to one month in training. During training, you learn how to:

• care for patients;
• assist patients with exercises; and
• transfer patients safely.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate. You should consider taking Algebra and Geometry as your math courses and Chemistry and Physics as your science courses.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Computer Applications
• Health Education
• Introduction to Health Care
• Nursing

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer applicants who have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. In addition, employers look for applicants who have good interpersonal skills and a desire to help people in need.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Physical Therapist Aides 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. Wages also vary based on the worker's education and experience.

Benefits vary by employer. Most full-time physical therapist aides receive benefits. These include paid vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. Many part-time aides do not receive benefits.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Physical therapy clinics
• Hospitals
• Nursing care facilities

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is growing significantly. This is mostly due to the increase in the aging population. New health care laws also mean that more people will be covered by health insurance and will seek health care treatment. New medical developments such as joint replacements also increase the demand for this occupation.

Competition for jobs is expected to be strong. There are many qualified applicants for all jobs.

Other resources

American Physical Therapy Association 
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.999.2782
703.684.2782

Physical Therapy Association of Washington 
208 Rogers Street NW
Olympia, WA 98502
800.554.5569
360.352.7290

References

Career cluster

• Health Science

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Physical Therapist Aides (31-2022.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

• Physical Therapy Aide (355.354-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Realistic/Conventional

COPSystem

• Service Skilled