Physical Therapist Aides
Did You Know:*
- Employment is projected to grow much faster than average.
- Physical therapist assistants should have very good job prospects; on the other hand, aides may face keen competition from the large pool of qualified applicants.
- Aides usually learn skills on the job, while physical therapist assistants have an associate degree; most states require licensing for assistants.
- Most jobs are in offices of other health practitioners and in hospitals.
Industry Areas
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
- Nursing Care Facilities
Day-to-Day Tasks*
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
Overall Kind of Work*
Physical therapist assistants and aides help physical therapists to provide treatment that improves patient mobility, relieves pain and prevents or lessens physical disabilities of patients. A phy...
Work Environment*
Civilian
Physical therapist assistants and aides need a moderate degree of strength because of the physical exertion required in assisting patients with their treatment. In some cases, assistants and aides...
Workweek Breakdown
The hours worked per week by people currently pursuing this career.
- 7.92% (0-20 Hours)
- 30.32% (21-34 Hours)
- 9.44% (35-39 Hours)
- 50.56% (40 Hours)
- 1.75% (41-49 Hours)
This data also pertains to Physical therapist assistants and aides (31-2020)
Type of Work
The level of day-to-day involvement with data, people or things.
Data: 
People: 
Things:
Skills at a Glance
The levels of different skills helpful in this career.
Verbal skills:
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving:
Equipment Operation & Maintenance:
Math & Science Skills:
Technology Design & Control:
Leadership:
Workplace at a Glance
The level of different environmental factors you would experience on the job.
Responsibility:
Exposure to Job Hazards:
Physical Activity: 
Decision Making:
Repetitiveness:
Level of Competition:
Time Pressure:
Business Breakdown
The different sectors people in this career currently work in.
- 78.78% (Private For-Profit)
- 14.98% (Private Not For-Profit)
- 4.85% (State and Local Govt)
- 0.69% (Federal Government)
- 0.69% (Self-Employed)
This data also pertains to Physical Therapist Assistants And Aides