Physical Therapy One of the Greatest Gifts

¶ … Physical Therapy

One of the greatest gifts given to mankind is that of the power of touch. Touch is a way to communicate, a way to learn, and a way to express emotion. Through touch, even greater goods are possible; touch can be a way to bring health and create wellness. There have been countless studies that have pointed to the healing properties of touch through massage and therapy. Of course, I didn't know about the scientific background behind the connection that exists between touch and healing when I was a child and began to explore these mysterious realms. As I learned more through my studies about therapy methods and healing, I realized that there was a true calling for me to further explore this field. Now, I know that my path in life lies within the field of physical therapy because of my natural calling to this field that has shown itself evident since childhood, my acceleration in all academic studies related to physical therapy, and because of the good I know I can accomplish by pursuing this career.

Even as an infant, I was fascinated with skin and touch. I would reach out and caress the skin of my mother, my father, and any other caretakers. Even then, I understood that there was something magical and powerful in the human touch. My mother would comfort me with gentle physical contact when I was upset; when I was ill with the flu as a toddler my father gave me a gentle muscle massage to relieve the aches and pains of being sick. As I grew older and more coordinated, I learned that our elderly family dog responded wonderfully to my own developing methods of physical therapy. I would massage her muscles and rotate her joints to prevent stiffness, and her veterinarian was amazed at her miraculous energy and physical health. He gave me a lollipop and said, "You have the power to do great things with your hands." Those words stayed close to my heart throughout my childhood years.

Academically, I have focused my studies on physical therapy since the earliest possibilities. While we didn't discuss the subject per se in my elementary school classes, I would prompt the teachers to elaborate on the related topics. Biology, health, anatomy, and other sciences were of particular interest to me in all of my schooling, and I would suck my teachers brains dry like a sponge whenever given the opportunity. Independently, I would spend hours in the library, pouring over books and magazines on the subject, copying down notes and diagrams that would help me remember the most important points. As I approached the higher grades, my teachers were constantly receiving extra credit projects from me that related to physical therapy and healing. Occasionally, teachers would think that I was not paying attention in class or putting myself fully into my schoolwork, but that was only the case when I was seriously involved in an independent study of my own.

The more I have studied healing, touch, and physical therapy, the more I have realized the potential good that can be done through this field. This is not just a field that deals with fixing an immediate problem, but rather one that allows the therapist to give the patient a whole new start on life. Physical therapy can revitalize and renew a person's physical and emotional and mental ability to function and thrive. A good physical therapist can not only bring back the physical functioning that a person had before an injury or illness devastated his or her life, but also bring hope that life does go on, and that there is nothing so terrible that it cannot be overcome. Physical therapy can bring relief from chronic pain that has plagued a patient's life, and allow that person to feel whole and hopeful again. The amazing ability that lies within my own hands and my own touch to bring this kind of positive influence into the world is very appealing to me.