Neurological physical therapy is a field focused on working with individuals who have a neurological disorder or disease. These can include stroke, chronic back pain, Alzheimer’s disease, Brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, facial palsy and spinal cord injury. Common impairments associated with neurologic conditions include impairments of vision, balance, ambulation, activities of daily living, movement, muscle strength and loss of functional independence. Physiotherapy can address many of these impairments and aid in restoring and maintaining function, slowing disease progression, and improving quality of life.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation respiratory practitioners and physical therapists treat a wide variety of cardiopulmonary disorders or pre and post cardiac or pulmonary surgery. Primary goals of this specialty include increasing endurance and functional independence. Manual therapy is used in this field to assist in clearing lung secretions. Disorders, including heart attacks, post coronary bypass surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, treatments can benefit from cardiovascular and pulmonary specialized physical therapists.

Physical therapy covers a wide area of issues concerning people as they go through normal adult aging but is usually focused on the older adult. There are many conditions that affect many people as they grow older arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, hip and joint diseases, balance disorders, incontinence, parkinsons etc. Geriatric physical therapists specialize in treating conditions in older adults.

Orthopaedic physical therapists diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system, post-operative orthopaedic procedures, fractures, acute sports injuries, arthritis, sprains, strains, back and neck pain, spinal conditions, and amputations.

Pediatric physical therapy assists in early detection of health problems and uses a wide variety of modalities to treat disorders in the children. These therapists are specialized in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infants, children, and adolescents with a variety of congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, or acquired disorders/diseases. Treatments focus on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, strength and endurance as well as cognitive and sensory processing/integration. Children with developmental delays, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or torticollis may be treated by pediatric physical therapists.

Physical therapy mostly addresses women’s issues related to the female reproductive system, child birth, and post-partum. These conditions include lymphedema, osteoporosis, prenatal and post partum period, and urinary incontinence. It also addresses incontinence, pelvic pain, and other disorders associated with pelvic floor dysfunction.