Curriculum

Physical Therapy Aide Program Curriculum

With courses covering topics like exercise and mobility training, medical terminology, and workplace health and safety, you'll be on track to gaining the knowledge needed to start your career as a physical therapy aide in as little as two months.

Physical Therapy Aide

Career Diploma

1 month

As low as $59/mo

Full Program Overview

1-800-275-4410 (9AM - 9PM ET)

Physical Therapy Aide Program Curriculum

5 courses
16.3 CEUs
10 exams
Optional work experience

Estimated completion time:

Fast track = 1 month
Average time = 5 months

With Penn Foster, you can learn at whatever pace works best for you. Some learners will be more comfortable moving faster, and dedicating more time, and the fast track estimate will apply to them. The average track will apply to most learners who can dedicate a few hours per week to completing their coursework. The estimated completion times are based on completion times for learners enrolled in this program from May 2021 - April 2022, excluding withdrawals.

Succeed by learning how to use your Penn Foster program.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Understand how to use your Student Portal.
- Access the Penn Foster Community and use it to find answers.
- Connect with Penn Foster on various social media sites.
In this lesson, you’ll learn what the practice of physical therapy is all about.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Explore the history of physical therapy.
- Understand the roles of the members of a rehabilitation team.
Physical therapy aides are skilled health-care workers who are important parts of the rehabilitative team.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Understand the role of the physical therapy aide, which includes administering treatments to patients, performing administrative duties, and helping the facility run smoothly and efficiently
Become familiar with the medical terms that you will hear on a daily basis in your new career.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Expand your understanding of medical terminology to include the anatomy, pathology, procedures, and abbreviations associated with the nervous, sensory, circulatory, and respiratory systems.
A body system is composed of organs that are designed to work together so that a particular function—such as breathing—can be performed.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Understand terminology associated with nervous, sensory, circulatory, and respiratory systems.
In this lesson, you’ll identify common dysfunctions, disorders, and conditions of the musculoskeletal system.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Explain the inflammatory process that occurs in the body after an injury.
- Describe common disorders such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and hernias.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to utilize heat and cold in treatments.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the aide’s role in administering heat treatments.
- Understand the purpose of superficial heat treatments, deep heating treatments, and cryotherapy
Aides help with common therapeutic exercises to help increase range of motion, strength, or coordination.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Describe body mechanics and patient transfers.
- Know the types of exercises, including range of motion, strength, and coordination.
- Explain ambulation and gait training.
Rehabilitation clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and other providers of therapy have cut costs by hiring aides to assist therapists in the delivery of care to patients.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Understand an aide’s role as a customer service provider and high-quality caregiver.
- Describe and apply important customer service skills.
In this lesson, you’ll learn about personal, patient, and environmental safety.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Practice proper body mechanics and lifting techniques.
- Understand standard first aid and CPR.
- Recognize patient distress.
- Outline infection control, universal precautions, and disaster procedures.

Note: We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.