The aging population, the trend towards increased physical exercise, along with the stress many young athletes place on their body have combined to increase the demand for physical therapists in the U.S. and Canada. In fact as early as 1990, the market for equipment, supplies and services reached 2.2 billion per year. The industry has been growing ever since as people become more interested in overcoming health problems.

According to information provided by the Bureau of Labour Statistics in the United States over 160,000 Americans are Physical Therapists. Physical Therapists also earn a median annual wage of $69,760 with some of the highest wage earners earning above $120,000 annually.

With that in mind all of you who are interested in getting yourself started in this fulfilling and lucrative career there are 10 things you will need to get started.

The Winco 850CD Steel Frame Therapy Table, is a great solution for offices without much storage. With 2 shelves and 2 drawers all of your supplies will be on hand and organized when you need them. This treatment table is strong and can hold up to 400 pounds. Its stable design allows for its use for any type of treatment.

If it is an adjustable treatment table you are searching for, look no further than the Proluxe PT 300. This treatment table with a flexible top and leg adjustments allows you to offer treatments for a variety of different people while assuring the utmost comfort.

This mega capacity cooling unit is ideal for your busy practice, athletic training department or emergency room. The C-6 ColPac Chilling Unit comes decked out with 12 standard size ColPacs and its specially designed interior chills your packs faster with the use of a heavy duty compressor.

The 2793k Intelect Legend lives up to its name. The Legend offers users 7 different waveforms and 2 standard channels. It also comes complete with an on-board data management system which stores comprehensive patient pain profiles, generate electrode placement diagrams as well as help to ensure consistent patient care.

This 105 gallon Lo-Boy whirlpool is ideal for your patient’s rehabilitation. Constructed with a heavy gage stainless steel it provides both strength and durability. The turbine motor provides a soothing, cleansing and relaxing treatment and has a built in thermal overload protector.

The M4 Hydrocollator is Source 1 medicals largest mobile Hydrocollator. Its extra large insulated tank comes complete with 24 standard Hotpacs. Made from high quality stainless steel it has an almost indefinite lifespan. The design of this Hyrdocollator makes maintenance hassle free.

The Twin Stim Plus digital offers 4 channels of portable digital electrotherapy. It features 3 modes of TENS and 3 modes of EMS and offers the use of 8 electrodes simultaneously. This unit would be ideal for use at home or in your clinic.

The Standard Size ColPac is an absolute necessity for anyone starting out in a Physical Therapy clinic. The standard 11”x 14” size offers effective cold therapy regardless of the area or shape of the injury.

The 2795K Intelect Legend XT’s 4 channel combination system with cart offers unparalleled value to any owner. With the use of 7 different wave forms as well as a 5” high contrast LCD screen and on board patient data management system each day is sure to be a breeze.

The 1006 Standard Size HotPac allows you to warm away all that ales you by applying this hydrocollator moist heat hot pack. This 10”x 12” size has been used since 1947 by thousands of doctors and physical therapists to treat patients. Once heated up the hydrocollator provides up to 30 minutes of deep, soothing moist heat.

*wage statistics for Physical Therapists found at: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291123.htm

If you are shopping for ultrasound equipment for your therapy clinic, you need to consider the Intelect Legend model. With excellent features and an ergonomically designed body, you can benefit greatly from adding this model to your equipment closet. After all, with all of the benefits of ultrasound for your patients, shouldn’t you invest in a great model for your clinic?

Benefits of Ultrasound Treatment

If you have not yet added ultrasound to your clinic’s therapy options, you should seriously look at the benefits of this treatment. Ultrasound machines give you the ability to heat tissue deep within your patient’s body, without causing discomfort to your patient. This can help heal muscle damage, break up scar tissue, and even relax tense muscles. Ultrasound therapy can also help reduce pain and chronic inflammation.

Features of the Intelect Legend Ultrasound Machine

The Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine is a great fit for most clinics. The LCD display is backlit and very bright, making it easy for your therapists to see the readout. The Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine comes with conductor gel and a 5 cm soundhead, so you will be ready to use it when you remove it from the box. If you wish to have greater flexibility with your device, you can purchase option 2 cm and 10 cm soundheads.

The Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine is a dual frequency clinical ultrasound system. The dual frequencies are 1 and 3.3 MHz. You can choose between a continuous and a pulsed delivery. The unit can warm the soundheads for greater patient comfort. Cattanooga offers a 2-year warranty on their Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine.

Benefits of the Device

The applicator on the Intellect Legend Ultrasound machine is ergonomically designed, making it comfortable for your therapists to deliver the treatment. The applicator’s handgrip has a comfortable 20-degree contour in its design. Also, the user interface is simple to understand, and the controls offer tactile touch control, allowing your therapists to make changes with a click of a button. Images on each button make it clear what it is supposed to do.

The Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine also features several automatic settings that contribute to its ease of use. For instance, the Electronic Signature feature allows the machine to calibrate automatically to the soundhead you place on the applicator, no matter which size you choose. This technology is unique to the Intelect Legend and is currently pending a patent. You can also program the start-up presets, allowing you to customize the device to your clinic’s unique needs.

Beyond these design and technology benefits, the Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine has a low price when compared to the number of features on the machine. Most machines with this level of customizability and user friendliness cost quite a bit more than the Intelect Legend. So, if you are looking for an affordable, yet high quality, ultrasound device, then this is the one for your clinic.

Is the Intelect Legend Right for My Clinic?

To answer this question, you need to decide what you are looking for in an ultrasound delivery device. If you want something compact with a variety of options, easy to use controls, and a low price, then the Intelect Legend Ultrasound machine is the right choice for your clinic. The device comes with a 2-year warranty, so you can have it fixed if you have any problems. Just remember that you will not be able to return the device for a refund after you have used it, since the Intelect Legend Ultrasound device is a Class II Medical Device. Returning Class II devices is against FDA regulations, so make sure this is the one you want before you make a purchase.

Pregnancy is a joyous time although many women experience back pain and other aches as a result of carrying extra weight in their mid section. This type of pain may never have been experienced before. Often times, something as simple as a massage can make a huge difference, but not every woman can utilize the services of a massage therapist.

Sometimes this has to do with the cost associated with massage therapy and with a baby on the way money is usually a little tight. If as a result of pregnancy you are experiencing pain and discomfort that thought of buying massage therapy equipment may have crossed your mind, however this is not recommended depending on the type of equipment you are considering for your purchase.

Amongst those massage therapy devices that should not be used is anything with an implanted electrode. These can offer a bit of a shock and can be potentially harmful to a baby. Magnets should not be used either. Also, anything that requires the back to arch is something that a pregnant woman should not use. With all of this said, it may seem like she can’t do anything because it is also suggested that she stay away from anything with heavy vibrations.

Small handheld massagers can be used around the neck and in the upper back area but it should not be used in the lower back or in the stomach area. All of these devices should be kept away from the baby. Other devices that are safe are foot massagers that use heat and vibration. Pregnancy can be tough on an expectant mothers feet, so these can be really great, but these devices are pretty much all mommy can use. Even those wrap around neck pillows that massage are not out of the question.

There is, however, a piece of massage equipment that pregnant women should consider and that is a prenatal massage table. These tables are specifically designed for expectant mothers. What it does is relieve aches in the back and improves circulation by reducing stress. Mothers to be find it difficult to lie down flat due to tenderness of the breasts and a growing belly, so the prenatal massage table has what resemble cutouts that can be taken out of the table for her belly and her breasts to go through. By simply placing the plugs back into the table, the table becomes perfectly flat so she can lay on her side or on her back if she has to.

With such a table, prenatal massage techniques can be used to make the expectant mother feel better. There are such techniques as the labor massage in which the mother will lie on her side and is in a reclined position. This is when a pregnancy pillow can really come in handy. There are also post-pregnancy massages in which this special technique can rebalance the mother’s body, which can also improve the elasticity of the skin.

So if the expectant mother gets the urge to buy massage equipment, a prenatal massage table as well as small hand held massagers would be her best bet as long as they will not administer any electric shock, contain magnets, or cause any trauma to the baby. Mother’s to be deserve to feel comfortable and pain free!

The main objectives of physical therapy are to promote body strength, function and mobility and prevent future physical injury. This is achieved through the physical therapy itself as well as through teaching patients safe exercising and movement techniques to avoid potential injury and protect joints. There are many types that include orthopedic, geriatric, rehabilitation, pediatric, pulmonary, cardiac and neurological.

One of the general needs of include tables. The types of tables needed in a physical therapy office are usually much different than the standard exam tables often found in other physicians’ offices. There are many types of therapy tables designed for many varied purposes depending on the needs of your particular clientèle. You may find it beneficial to have general all-purpose tables within the office. However, often there are particular needs that are not met with standard tables, and you will need much more specialized tables for your particular patients.

Take special note of the main focus of your office to assess the your patients’ needs. This will greatly aid in the decision of the tables needed for your office, and help you make the appropriate decision. For example, is the therapy mainly performed in your office in need of stationary tables or would adjustable tables be more beneficial? Do your physical therapists travel or perform home heath visits? If so, you may need to invest in special portable tables.

Often you may have many patients with mobility issues, especially if working with orthopedic, geriatric or intense rehabilitation patients. If this is the case, you’ll do best to look into the wide variety of tables designed for those with these particular medical issues that accommodate wheelchairs and other common mobility devices. Depending on the types of therapy performed within your practice, you may need flat tables, positioning tables, mat tables, tilt top tables, inversion tables or specialized hydraulic tables.

Once you’ve determined your patients needs depending on your main clientèle and are highly familiar with the types of therapy performed within your office, it will become quite evident the best types of tables to suit your needs. Often you may find that you need many different types of tables within the same office to handle the wide variety of physical therapy performed in your facility. This is quite common in less specialized practices that perform many different functions to the many different types of patients they may see in their office.

If you are looking to purchase physical therapy tables, be sure to spend plenty of time becoming fully informed of the types of therapy being performed at your facility. This is especially important if you are not a physical therapist yourself. You’ll want to spend plenty of time consulting with and observing the professionals within your facility to get a well-rounded idea of their daily needs to best treat the patients on a daily basis. You can also contact other similar offices for their input. The more time you spend evaluating your patients needs and the treatments used for their types of therapy, the more beneficial your table choices will be both financially and medically.

There are many types of specially designed physical therapy equipment ranging from devices to aid in activities of daily living (ADL) to exercise equipment that can include anything from treatment tables and arm splints to treadmills and weights. The equipment needs for any physical therapy office can vary greatly depending on the type of physical therapy that is the main focus of your practice. Each different type of patient or client has individual needs depending on the reason physical therapy is needed.

Physical therapy in general is a type of practiced medicine that involves highly specialized exercises designed to improve the quality of movement and strength for those with illnesses or injuries and is also designed to prevent future injuries or health problems. Physical therapy may include such varied activities as stretching limbs, weight lifting, walking exercises or water aerobics. Physical therapy can also include what is known as manual therapy. This is when the physical therapist will perform twisting, pushing or pulling of body parts to improve function, strength and mobility for those that need this type of therapy.

The best way to determine what type of physical therapy equipment you may need is to have a thorough knowledge of the types of physical therapy being performed in your office. If you mainly work with geriatric patients for example, many of the needs of your patients will focus on mobility issues and increasing daily function as well as aiding those with the many physical and mental disabilities associated with aging. Common devices used can include walkers, canes, crutches, lifts and transfer boards as well as other equipment patients can use at home to promote self sufficiency.

Orthopedic physical therapy often also focuses on mobility issues and will include some types of similar equipment as well. Other equipment often used for orthopedic patients include the additional use of collars, splints and braces. Rehabilitation physical therapy for those with severe injuries and physically disabling illnesses may need specially designed treatment tables, mattresses, wedges and scales. Other types of physical therapy that need specialized equipment include pediatric physical therapy and therapy to aid function in those with cardiac and pulmonary diseases and disorders.

First determine the type of patients that are the main focus of your facility. Then list all the types of physical therapy that are commonly (and perhaps even not so commonly) needed for your particular clientele. Once you have determined this, you can then go through each type of therapy you will be using in your office to meet your patients’ needs and take inventory of all equipment needed for each particular type of physical therapy.

If you are the manager or owner of the office or facility, you may not know enough about the specifics of the therapy performed to determine your needs on your own. It will be highly beneficial to consult with the physical therapists within your office. You will need to spend time speaking with them to get their personal feedback on the specific physical therapy equipment needs of the patients coming to your practice. It is also best to spend time observing the types of therapy they perform on a daily basis and how each is performed. This will give you a much better idea of what is needed within the office to adequately meet your needs.