Week 1:
Twin Cities Orthopedics

May 31, 2013

My time at Twin Cities Orthopedics has been amazing thus far. From the moment I walked in the doors I was impressed with the interior design of the building as well as the up to date equipment in the rehabilitation facility. I was introduced to several physical therapists that I would be learning from and working beside. Next, my supervisor introduced me to another physical therapy technician and he showed me more around the facility and gave me detailed instructions regarding our duties.

Our responsibilities around the facility include sanitizing the gym equipment, keeping exam rooms fully stocked with towels, lotions, pillowcases, and equipment such as gait belts and therabands. We keep tabs on when patients might need ultrasound and other therapy devices and are sure to have those ready and available for use. When all items are stocked, equipment is clean, and the gym is organized, I am able to follow physical therapists around and interact with patients. So far I have seen several patient who have come out of a surgical procedure such as knee replacement, hip replacement, ankle reconstruction, and rotator cuff surgery.

To this point I have learned quite a bit as far as terminology and abbreviations used by the physical therapists. They communicate with doctors and surgeons for specific goals and instructions of therapy. The therapists document all of their sessions with the patients and use a clear, concise short-hand language so that they can refer to previous sessions to chart patients progress. I have learned that with routine procedures such a hip or knee replacements, there are guideline goals for the patients at each week marker. At this point I am still learning what the goals of each week are specifically, but it was informative to learn how specific the goals are.

Compared to the other physical therapy technician, I feel as though my background and knowledge of human physiology, anatomy and movement has allowed me to interpret patient diagnosis and therefore understand the purpose of specific exercises. For example, when I asked the physical therapist what the difference was between a total and partial knee replacement, I was able to visualize the anatomy of the knee and understand her explanation fully.

After my first week at Twin Cities Orthopedics I feel as though I have learned a great deal of information. I look forward to increasing my understanding of physical therapy and soon start narrowing in on some of the goals for my project, which is taking a closer look at the rehabilitation process after a knee replacement.