DPT stands for Doctor of Physical Therapy. DPT is a five-year program in Pakistan.
Physiotherapy is a subfield of medicine and health sciences. It is concerned with the rehabilitation of those people who have been handicapped as a result of an accident, trauma, operation, old age, any congenital or acquired disease or a fracture and injury, especially those where muscles tendons and bones have come at the ground zero.
A physiotherapist's work involves restoring normal muscle strength, muscle movement, improving the degree of joint mobilization and if we talk about an esteemed one, one of his biggest jobs is to provide rehabilitation, especially to a patient who has accepted his disability in his life.
Hence, patient’s counselling is also an essential aspect. These patients usually suffer from depression and low self-esteem.
To restore their healthy body function, it is vital to motivate them and give them emotional support so that they feel confident enough about themselves.
A career in physiotherapy usually starts with F.Sc pre-medical. After that, an aspirant of a profession in which he wants to dedicate his knowledge not only to seek earnings but also to serve humanity by getting them their cure and counselling one can either go for an MBBS or Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
- Orthopedic Physiotherapist:
Their job is related to bone and joint injuries. For example, injuries acquired as a result of a traffic accident, sports-related trauma, accidental fall, tripping, etc. They work to restore normal or near-normal mobility at affected joints.
- Geriatric Physiotherapists :
Their job involves working with people of old age. Old age predisposes a person to different ailments many of them related to bodily movements or lack of movement. For example, Parkinsons Disease involves unwanted movements which are often involuntary. Physiotherapists work with these patients to restore their healthy balance of movements.
- Pediatric Physiotherapists:
Pediatric physiotherapists have a delicate job. They work with children suffering from congenital anomalies, for example, down syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, etc. Patients suffering from these conditions are unable to move like children of the same age group. They also work with children who have to undergo significant surgery after trauma.
- Occupational Physiotherapists:
Sometimes a person becomes unable to resume his or her job after an injury. This is a challenging situation as it deprives a whole family of the sole bread earner. Occupational physiotherapists work with these individuals to restore their normal movements so that they can resume their job.
For example, a driver who has suffered some injury of hand muscles has to undergo physiotherapy before he is able to work again.
They work with athletes like cricketers, footballers, swimmers, runners, etc. who are suffering from some injury and therefore are unable to take part in concerned sports. Physiotherapy is an essential aspect of sports medicine. All major sports federations employ expert and reputable physiotherapists for well being of their athletes and their careers.