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Anatomy. Physiology. Biomechanics. 

The 3 areas of knowledge that I think are the most important for being a truly GOOD (not just a 9-5’er) therapist. Out of all the therapists I have come across, between working as a tech before school, being in school, and through reading online, that I view as being really good, I have realized they all share something in common. They all have well above average knowledge in these 3 areas. Not just entry level knowledge. Well above entry level.

Pretty much any treatment approach in physical therapy boils down to taking an understanding of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics and manipulating one or more of the 3 to produce a return to “normal” (or not pathological) in the patient we’re trying to treat.

The more and more I learn about how to properly treat different musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cardiopulmonary disorders, the clearer this idea becomes to me. If you understand anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics, you understand WHY certain things work for certain problems. And that allows you to be a free thinker. A true autonomous practitioner. You don’t have to just blindly follow what other say to do. Or pigeon-hole yourself into always using one specific approach. It also allows you to take one person’s ideas and find ways to connect their methods to other patient populations you might be working with. Outside the box thinking.

So, I would highly suggest to those about to start PT school or those in your first year…give your classes that teach about these topics the majority of your time and attention. And then go back to these subjects whenever you can. I try to use winter break and summers to do this.

Review anatomy. Review physiology. Go over your biomechanics.

Things like…What are the major muscles involved in some of the most common injuries we see. What is the origin, insertion, innervation, and action of those muscles? What are the mechanics of the joints those muscles cross. What are the arthokinematics of those joints? How do nerves communicate? What is the anatomy of the brain? What is the anatomy of the heart? How does muscle contraction occur? How does blood pump out of the heart and then return? What are proper gait mechanics?… You get the point.

Anyways. Just some of my thoughts…