Will “Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

1.8% Chance of Automation

“Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)” will not be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #83 out of #702, where higher means less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Assist physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with State laws, assist in the development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, document the progress of treatment, and modify specific treatments in accordance with patient status and within the scope of treatment plans established by a physical therapist. Generally requires formal training.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 31-2021.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 56,850.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 27.00
Currently, there are 85,580 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Physical Therapist Assistants”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)”

Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches.
Measure patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
Prepare treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by physiotherapists.
Attend or conduct continuing education courses, seminars, or in-service activities.
Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
Communicate with or instruct caregivers or family members on patient therapeutic activities or treatment plans.
Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.
Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
Perform postural drainage, percussions, or vibrations or teach deep breathing exercises to treat respiratory conditions.
Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
Train patients in the use of orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
Monitor operation of equipment and record use of equipment and administration of treatment.

Related Technology & Tools

Rotating bed
Mechanical stethoscopes
Portable oxygen equipment
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation TENS equipment
Pelvic traction equipment
Tablet computers
Lavage hydrotherapy equipment
Hydrotherapy pools
Goniometers
Short wave diathermy devices
Platform walkers
Swiss exercise balls
Body-fat calipers
Therapeutic treadmill exercisers
Resistive exercise bands
Medical nasal cannulae
Cervical traction equipment
Pulse oximeters
Hi-lo manipulation tables
Balance beams
Lower-body isokinetic machines
High-voltage Galvanic stimulation machines
Back braces
Parallel bars
Desktop computers
Splints
Electromyographs EMG
Ergometers
Reciprocating walkers
Blood pressure cuffs
Whirlpool therapy baths
Crutches
Digital cameras
Digital video cameras
Safety goggles
Continuous passive motion CPM equipment
Wrist splints
Paraffin baths
Tilt tables
Total lift chairs
Posture grids
Safety gloves
Plumb lines
Upper-body isokinetic machines
Patient positioning devices
Standing tables
Standing cages
Sliding boards
Iontopheresis equipment
Cold packs
Front-wheel walkers
Arm prosthetics
Surgical masks
Single point canes
Notebook computers
Medicine balls
Protective gowns
Above-the-knee prosthetics
Sacro-illiac joint lumbar corsets
Interferential electrical stimulation machines
Inclinometers
Cardiac monitors
Ultraviolet UV phototherapy lamps
Hemi walkers
Free weights
Balance boards
Therapeutic hot packs
Wheelchairs
Functional electrical stimulation FES equipment
Pick-up walkers
Mechanical percussors
Sequential compression devices
Powder boards
Gait belts
Reflex hammers
Automated external defibrillators AED
Stationary bicycles
Personal computers
Massage equipment
Ultrasound machines
Stretchers
Knee braces
Reachers
Slings
Quad canes
Hoyer lifts
Intermittent compression units
Below-the-knee prosthetics
Hand grips
Exercise trampolines
Ankle-foot orthotics

Bookkeeping software
Video game software
TherAssist
Scheduling software
Rehab Documentation Company ReDoc Suite
Microsoft Access
Spreadsheet software
Knees Software PT DocTools
Summit Software CarePoint
dBASE
Beaver Creek Software The THERAPIST
SpectraSoft AppointmentsPRO
BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
Microsoft Office
Accounting software
Billing software
PhysioTools Tools RG
Eazy Application Systems QuickEMR
Arena Health Systems Phys-X
Laboratory information system LIS
Virtual reality game software
PhysioGraphic
Microsoft Outlook
Client caseload management software
Email software
Microsoft Windows
FileMaker Pro
Word processing software
SpectraSoft DocuPRO
Microsoft Excel