What is the primary focus of patient care in physical therapy?

The primary focus of patient care in physical therapy is restoring movement and function. Physical therapy is centered on improving a patient’s mobility, enhancing their physical capabilities, and helping them regain functional independence after injury, surgery, or illness. This often involves designing personalized exercise programs, hands-on therapeutic techniques, and modalities such as heat or electrical stimulation to alleviate pain and improve physical mechanisms.

While monitoring vital signs is important in a clinical setting, it is not the main focus of physical therapy. Conducting surgery is outside the scope of practice for physical therapists, as they do not perform surgical procedures; that role falls to qualified surgeons. Providing psychological support is beneficial and may be involved in a holistic approach to patient care, but the main objective remains to physically rehabilitate and optimize patients' movement patterns and physical function.