28 / 64
Making Movement Happen
Physical therapists make sure injured athletes regain the level
of performance they had before their injury. Keith Steigbigel
said that PTs are “movement
dysfunction specialists.” A key
part of their job is studying
“movement patterns—what is
normal movement and what is
abnormal movement.” Based on
their knowledge of such fields as
physiology and kinesiology, the
therapists know when sports-
related physical motions such
as throwing, kicking, or running
are not right. Their goal,
working with the athlete, is to
bring the motion back to normal
by healing and strengthening an
injured body part.
Since few professional
teams have full-time PTs, the
therapists often do their work
28
Using
Electricity to Heal
Chances are, most people have felt the
sharp zing of an electrical shock, even
if only from static electricity. From an
early age, we learn that electricity can be
harmful. But for physical therapists, low
levels of electrical current are useful tools.
Most PTs use a process called electrical
nerve stimulation (TENS) to help control
pain. A machine that produces low voltages
of electricity is attached to an injured limb
with small pads. The electricity curbs
pain by blocking the pain signal from the
nerves in a damaged area. TENS may also
stimulate the brain to release its own natural
painkillers, called
endorphins
. Another
useful electrical process is called electrical
muscle stimulation (EMS), which helps
muscles contract to strengthen them.
C
areers
O
ff
T
he
F
ield
•
Health Careers in Sports