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Essay / Principles of the American Physical Therapy Association
“Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.” (APTA). This is the vision of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for all members and physical therapists. As a student in a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, I want to consider how this vision will advance my personal and professional development in my career path. There are many ways to influence and transform society. Physical therapy clinicians strive to impact the lives of individuals within a society by providing quality rehabilitation services that will improve the quality of life in our communities. As a physiotherapy student, it is my duty to assimilate the material of my courses in order to be able to provide and advocate such a service. A physiotherapist plays an essential role in our society because everyone eventually experiences illness, injury or will suffer from wear and tear on their body as they age. These trails do not pose an individual challenge but rather a societal threat since these challenges will influence our friends and family and their interconnection with society as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The main objective is to implement rehabilitation treatments that would improve the condition in which a patient is suffering and thus impact his life and circle of influence. Entering my program, I had already imagined myself transforming the lives of individuals in this way. During my undergraduate studies, I studied sociology precisely because I wanted to contribute to societal changes and help individual lives. I was involved in some movements at Cal State San Marcos with members of my sociology club. As a student in a DPT program, I want to continue to help bring about changes in services or innovations that will revolutionize our industry and impact society. The APTA states that “movement is the key to optimal living and quality of life.” (APTA). Newton's first law of motion states that an object in motion stays in motion and an object at rest stays at rest. Living things are built to move, and sedentary living has been shown to have detrimental effects on the human body. It is therefore prudent to apply Newton's law to human beings to some extent. People who are perpetually at rest tend to atrophy and "remain at rest", while those who are in motion generally continue to be so. Improving movement means strengthening, increasing range of mobility, flexibility, function and, most importantly, reducing or eliminating pain. It is understandable then that optimizing an individual's movement is one of the key aspects of our vision as physiotherapists and students. It is my responsibility as a student to be able to understand how to identify diagnosable disabilities in order to advocate for optimal development from cradle to death. This would involve using up-to-date evidence-based research and innovations to integrate into my studies and future practice in order to provide quality services that society could benefit from. Enhancing the Human Experience provides a visualization of how physical therapists can impact the lives of individuals, families, and communities. California Delegate Terrence M. Nordstrom, PT, EdD. gave a very moving speech (viewable on APTA.com) on his definition of what the human experience entails. The experience..