Hello! My name's Carla Reyes, welcome to my project, Let's Get Physical: Specialization of Physical Therapy. During my final trimester as a senior at BASIS Scottsdale, I will be able to conduct research to determine what factors impact the regimens used by physical therapists for knee and hip rehabilitation. Attending BASIS has offered amazing opportunities to explore various topics in-depth, and this project will provide an outlet to apply everything I’ve learned in a more hands-on manner.
Over the summer, I was able to shadow an oncologist/hematologist at Ironwood Cancer Research Center. While this gave me a chance to observe a more consultation and research based environment, I was curious to see other aspects of the medical field. Physical therapy interested me because of the doctor patient interaction and the flexibility which exists in the creation of treatments. The number of different types of patients and conditions treated is immense, with treatment ranging from blood sugar control diabetic patients to post-operative rehabilitation for professional athletes.
Growing up, I was always on a sports team. With constantly being on a soccer field, pool, or volleyball court came multiple injuries. Before I became aware of physical therapy offices and the restorative exercises created by PTs, I relied on naproxen and ice packs. My own stubbornness prevented me from seeking out reparative and preventative help. Since my interest in medicine has grown throughout the years, I have a fuller understanding and greater appreciation of the impact physical therapy can have on a person’s well-being.
Although I will not be able to lead appointments or have access to full patient history, by observing the physical therapists and technicians interacting with patients, I hope to be able to discover whether there exists a specific formula that physical therapists and PT technicians use to create treatments.
