 Career
Path Forecast
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
employment of physical therapists is expected to grow 27 percent from
2006 to 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations.
The impact of proposed
Federal legislation imposing limits on reimbursement for therapy
services may adversely affect the short-term job outlook for physical
therapists. However, the long-run demand for physical therapists should
continue to rise as new treatments and techniques expand the scope of
physical therapy practices. Moreover, demand will be spurred by the
increasing numbers of individuals with disabilities or limited function.
The increasing elderly
population will drive growth in the demand for physical therapy
services. The elderly population is particularly vulnerable to chronic
and debilitating conditions that require therapeutic services. Also, the
baby-boom generation is entering the prime age for heart attacks and
strokes, increasing the demand for cardiac and physical rehabilitation.
And increasing numbers of children will need physical therapy as
technological advances save the lives of a larger proportion of newborns
with severe birth defects.
 Future medical
developments also should permit a higher percentage of trauma victims to
survive, creating additional demand for rehabilitative care. In
addition, growth may result from advances in medical technology that
could permit the treatment of an increasing number of disabling
conditions that were untreatable in the past.
Widespread interest in
health promotion also should increase demand for physical therapy
services. A growing number of employers are using physical therapists to
evaluate worksites, develop exercise programs, and teach safe work
habits to employees.
Job opportunities will
be good for licensed physical therapists in all settings. Job
opportunities should be particularly good in acute hospital,
rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most
often treated. Physical therapists with specialized knowledge of
particular types of treatment also will have excellent job prospects.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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