Generally, the interaction will fall somewhere between these two extremes. A Physical Therapist must be knowledgeable about the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments and the specific mechanical arrangements which generate movement as well as the organization and structure of the control systems, i.e., the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. In addition, they need to be able to recognize and identify medical conditions that can affect movement abilities and human physiological responses to such conditions as well as the normal responses to mechanical injury of the body. The education required of a PT involves a large amount of time spent on musculoskeletal anatomy with cadaver dissection and separate course work on the anatomy and structure of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. A great amount of course work also focuses on the medical conditions that can have an impact upon movement abilities, as well as training in techniques for identifying and treating specific dysfunctions.
Physical therapists receive a college degree in their field.
In the United States this is often a masters degree. Graduation from a program enables a therapist to sit for a national qualifying exam. Each state has further regulations governing the practice of Physical Therapy that a therapist must adhere to. A breach of the regulations is grounds to remove a Therapist from practice. In contrast an Alexander Teacher needs to be knowledgeable in the basic principles of the Technique and have experience in applying these to their own movement patterns.