The Easy Guide to Pass the National Physical Therapy Exam

It doesn't matter if you have completed a master or doctor of physical therapy, you must pass the NPTE to become a fully qualified and licensed practitioner. The NPTE is given by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and is designed to determine if you have the minimum required knowledge to safely practice physical therapy. If you don't pass the NPTE you can't practice, so here is what you need to do to make it easy.

STEP 1: Familiarize Yourself: The NPTE is a 5 hour computer based exam that consists of 5 sections, each containing 50 multiple choice questions. You are marked on how many questions you answer correctly and do not get penalized if you answer incorrectly. To pass you will need to score more than 600 out of a possible 800. If you fail you can retake the exam 3 times in a 12 month period. You can find all this information in detail through the Candidate Hand Book.

STEP 2: Register: Contact the licensing authority in the state or jurisdiction in which you want to practise then go to the FSBPT website to register. There are deadlines for application and set dates to take the exam, so be sure to check the dates.

STEP 3: Study: There are plenty of study guides available with tips on how to pass the NPTE. The most trusted and comprehensive guide is The 2012 National Physical Therapy Examination: Review & Study Guide, by S. O'Sullivan and R. Siegelman. For $85 you get 3 simulated exams on CD as well as study strategies and state licensure information. Another option is the Practice Exam and Assessment Tool (PEAT) that consists of 200 example questions identical to those you will expect to see in the NPTE. It also has built in features that allow you to get immediate scoring, performance reports, explanations and rationales for each question. You can have online access for 30 days at a cost of $90. If you need longer, then another $45 will get you a further 15 days.

STEP 4: Pass the NPTE: You can sit the NPTE at any of the 600 PROMETRIC testing centers located across America and it doesn't matter if it is in a different jurisdiction. As long as you have nominated in your application what jurisdiction you want to practice in you can sit it anywhere. You will need to call them to book your seat.

So there you have it. To pass the NPTE all you have to do is follow these simple steps so you will be well prepared to finally practice as a physical therapist.

Health and Fitness: Physical Therapy Article Category

Most people in some time in their life will experience some kind of muscular-skeletal pain. Choosing a specialist for treatment can often be quite daunting as there are a wide variety of therapies available. These include but are not limited to: Physiotherapy, remedial massage, Bowen, osteopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture.

While many therapists purport to offer the "best" solution for physical injury, in truth, there is often no one best therapy and pain relief can be obtained from most therapies. Often the boundaries between different therapies can be blurred. For example, both osteopathy and chiropractic have their origins in mobilising restricted areas of the body and specialise in working with the spine. Almost all of the above therapies will probably use some form of massage as part of the treatment process.

What is more important in choosing a particular therapy is the skill and intention of the respective therapist. The 2 primary factors to a successful treatment plan are:

1. Does the therapist have a sufficient skill base to provide an effective treatment within their chosen modality of treatment?
2. What is the intention of the therapist - is it to genuinely offer the best care or to make a fast buck?

Personal recommendation is one of the best ways of finding a good therapist as a good therapist is unlikely to be recommended if the person did not experience at least some resolution to their injury. A personal recommendation also shows that the therapist is amenable, professional and offers reasonable value for money.

In today's digital age, most therapists will have a web site, which will list their qualifications and membership of professional bodies. Membership of a professional body is not always an indication of extensive training as all membership bodies have varying standards of entry. Therefore, it is worth checking out a membership body to determine its entry requirements.

It is worth noting that some therapies are regulated whereas some are not. Regulation, training standards and qualification levels vary from country to country. For example in the UK, massage is not regulated and anyone can offer themselves as a massage therapist with no or very few qualifications.

The main problem is there is not a single register for therapists. For example in the UK, there is the Health Professional Council, General Chiropractic Council, General Osteopathic Council and Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council among others.

Length of a training is an indication of determining the level of skill of a practitioner. However, there is not always a direct correlation between the level of skill and length of training. In the UK at least there has been a push to 'upgrade' healthcare qualifications from diploma to degree level with a corresponding increase in course length. However, having a degree does not necessarily confer greater skills and, often, a degree will contain several peripheral academic subjects that do not necessary equate to greater skills competences. For example in the final two years of my osteopathy training, a large proportion of my time was devoted to research skills and completing a research project. While the process was interesting and worthwhile, it did not necessarily make me a better therapist.

Therefore, when choosing a therapist, it often pays to do your homework first:

1. Ask around for personal recommendations
2. Call the therapist first and confirm that their therapy is a good fit for your particular problem
3. Read their web site and check their qualifications and membership. This info will be readily available on the web.

By doing a little homework first, it should be possible to avoid the "cowboys". Remember it is your body and choosing a good therapist will not only be a good financial investment but will also avoid embarrassing and unpleasant experiences as well as possible injury due to maltreatment.

Joint Pain Relief Using Natural Solutions

Ayurvedic (East Indian holistic medical system) perspective on joint pain relief using natural solutions.

Ayurveda treats musculo-skeletal problems holistically, taking into account the whole physiology, psychology and physical presentation of the person and the problem. The goal of the treatment is to restore homeostasis and to bring the person back to their natural psycho-physiological baseline or constitution.

Joint pain relief treatment is based on bringing the disturbed Dosha (Energetic principles that govern all biological processes in the body - Vata, Pitta and Kapha respectively) back into a balanced state.

This is achieved by diet, lifestyle, Marma (Ayurvedic Acupressure) massage with herbal oils, use of herbal poultices, Nadi Svedan (herbal steam treatments), herbal oil dhara (oil dripping) treatment on the affected body parts, herbal formulations and Panchakarma (detoxification and rejuvenation therapies).

The focus is on opening up blockages in micro-channels of the injured tissues, to remove toxins or metabolic waste products from these tissues, to improve metabolic capacity of the injured tissue for proper uptake and assimilation of nutrients and to improve macro and micro digestion of the whole system.

Opening up of channels facilitates flow of Prana or Qi or energy. Prana is the cellular intelligence that controls proper movement and functioning of the whole system. Removal of blockages also allows for proper circulation at the micro-cellular level providing nutrition and removal of metabolic waste products. With right movement of Prana and circulation the tissue is given an optimal environment for recovery.

Joint pain relief assessment focuses on the affected Dhatu or tissue, the state of the Dosha, the type of pain, state of Agni (digestive fire or digestive/metabolic capacity of the system), presence of Ama (toxins) and functioning of the excretory systems. This detailed examination of the person allows an Ayurvedic practitioner to accurately determine the disturbance in the system and choose the appropriate therapies to treat the whole system.

In addition to looking at the location of pain, the cause of injury and the structures involved - joint, muscle, ligaments, tendons, etc., Ayurveda pays close attention to the type of pain one is suffering from. It classifies pain according to the Doshas and presence of Ama.

Types/nature of pain:

Vata type of pain is radiating, shooting, shifting, cutting, pulsating, moving, fluctuating, vague/confusing, comes and goes, worst at dawn or dusk, shivering, body can feel cold, person feels restless or anxious, creates insomnia, emotionally person might have fear or anxiety, standing creates pain, worst during Autumn season, worst with movement, feels better with heat, moisture and firm pressure.

Pitta pain is burning, pulling, sharp, inflammatory, fever, might have complaints of nausea and vomiting, irritability and anger, penetrating, worst at mid day and mid night, increased perspiration, body feels hot and with redness, flushed face, insomnia, perforation, diarrhea and vomiting, worst during summer season, aggravated by firm pressure or deep massage, feels better with cold.

Kapha pain is heavy, dull, deep, mild, aching, long standing, pain with stooping or bending over, chronic, worst early AM and PM, congestion in lungs, swelling, heaviness, able to sleep in pain, emotionally can feel depressed or lousy, generalized pain throughout the body, pain worst in spring season, lingering, worst in cold or damp weather, feels better with dry heat, deep massage and deep pressure relieves symptoms.

Ama or toxin related pain is heavy, dull, mild, aching, even the hair hurts, debilitating, generalized pain all over the body, pain varies according to Ama level, heavy coating on tongue, bad breath, deep pain, sluggish or sleepy, mental confusion, pain anytime and can be all the time, feeling drowsy and lousy. Feel better with ginger tea and fasting.

Joint pain relief for different pain presentations

For example, a Vata problem would present as a complaint of cracking, popping in the joint, feeling of instability or giving out, possibly muscle atrophy or wasting might be present, moving or shifting pain, pain is aggravated by movement and increased activity level, dry, cold or windy weather would aggravate these symptoms.

Symptoms are relieved by heat, massage with warm herbal oil or Sesame oil, rest, staying warm and avoiding movement and excessive activity. Nadi Svedan (herbal steam therapy) or warm herbal poultices can also be applied for join pain relief and to improve circulation/lymphatic flow to facilitate healing.
Use of herbal formulas like Yograj Guggulu and herbs like Ashwagandha, Tagar, Jatamamsi, Musta, Bala, etc. can be very beneficial for reducing pain and inflammation while strengthening the joint and local muscles.

Pitta related join pain would be treated with a Pitta pacifying diet and lifestyle. Emphasis of treatment is on cool, soft, dry therapies reducing excess heat, sharp and penetrating qualities of Pitta.

Herbal formulations like Kaishore Guggulu, Gulwel Satva or herbs like Turmeric, Musta are good anti-inflammatories and pain relievers. Cold pack, Castor oil or herbal oil massage is recommended to relieve Pitta type of pain in the joint.

Kapha related pain would be treated with a Kapha pacifying diet and lifestyle. Emphasis of treatment is on warm, light, dry and mobile therapies to reduce the slow, congestive, cool and sluggish nature of Kapha.

Herbal formulations like Punarnavadi Guggulu, herbs like Punarnava, Musta, Ashwagandha, Shilajeet, etc. would be used to control swelling, heaviness or dull ache. Massage with herbal oils, application of dry heat and movement of the joint is recommended to relieve Kapha type of pain in the joint.

Ayurvedic treatments can be very effective in removing the specific cause of the problem and achieving lasting relief. This ancient medical system can help the body heal from within while bringing the person back to their natural state of wellbeing.

*This article is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician, physical therapist or medical practitioner before starting any exercise program or trying any of the herbal products/recommendations mentioned in this video/article. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.