Physical Therapy Assistants Physical therapy assistants work with people who have physical disabilities. They are supervised by physical therapists. Patients who are injured or ill need to recover physical movements they may have lost. Physical therapists design programs to help them regain those physical skills. Physical therapy assistants and aides help patients work on those skills.
Assistants instruct patients on activities.
For example, they may teach patients the proper way to lift weights. They also give treatments such as massages, hot or cold packs, and traction. Assistants may measure patients' flexibility and range of motion before and after treatment. Assistants monitor and keep records of patients' progress. If patients have difficulty with their programs, then assistants talk to the therapist.