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Physical therapist skills for your resume and career
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
N. Travis Triplett Ph.D.,
N. Travis Triplett Ph.D.
One of the most important hard skills a physical therapist can possess is in formulating treatment plans for patient rehab because this forms the foundation of physical therapy. It's also important for physical therapists to have the hard skill of ample experience with hands-on patient care. They may also need the hard skills of work with ultrasound imaging, depending on the position.
When it comes to soft skills, physical therapists should have strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills above all else. Physical therapists need to work closely with teams of medical professionals to provide care to patients, so great teamwork skills are also crucial.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical physical therapist skills. We ranked the top skills for physical therapists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 30.2% of physical therapist resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a physical therapist needs to be successful in the workplace.
15 physical therapist skills for your resume and career
1. Patients
Here's how physical therapists use patients:
- Prepared patients for physical therapy treatment by welcoming, comforting, providing and/or assisting patient into physical therapy apparel or apertures.
- Delivered customized home health care to caseload of geriatric and medically complex patients, including orthopedic and neurological patients.
2. Rehabilitation
Here's how physical therapists use rehabilitation:
- Specialized in outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation.
- Performed physical therapy evaluations, and assisted in delivering holistic rehabilitation care to inpatient and outpatient pediatric, and neonatal ICU population
3. Home Health
Here's how physical therapists use home health:
- Evaluated and treated home health patients Communicated with physicians and case managers Coordinated care with nursing, speech and occupational therapy
- Home Health physical therapy evaluations, treatments/discharges, instructed in home exercise programs, and supervised physical therapy assistants.
4. Quality Care
Here's how physical therapists use quality care:
- Supervised qualified Physical Therapist assistants and Aides offering encouragement and guidance aimed at providing high level of quality care.
- Served as Clinical Instructor liaison for educational affiliations and provided staff education for the delivery of quality care.
5. Physical Therapy
Here's how physical therapists use physical therapy:
- Performed orthopedic/neurological skilled physical therapy treatments
- Provided physical therapy treatment evaluations and patient care according to rehab facility, state, professional and federal regulations and guidelines.
6. Treatment Programs
Here's how physical therapists use treatment programs:
- Evaluated and implemented physical therapy treatment programs for patients in an outpatient setting with a variety of orthopedic and neurological diagnoses.
- Provided support and guidance to holistic treatment programs as staff physical therapist, coordinating post-acute, skilled nursing and rehabilitation services.
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SNF is a kind of nursing home perceived by the Medicare and Medicaid frameworks as meeting long haul medical services needs for people who can work autonomously after a restricted time of care.
Here's how physical therapists use snf:
- Provided home physical therapy to patients discharged from hospital, SNF, rehabilitation centers and/or Physician referrals.
- Provided physical therapy services in SNF setting for general medical, orthopedic, and neurological disorders.
8. Physical Therapy Treatment
Here's how physical therapists use physical therapy treatment:
- Integrated physical therapy treatment protocols with other necessary treatment paradigms (occupational and speech) into a unified treatment protocol.
- Evaluated and provided physical therapy treatment to pediatrics patients in a sub-acute facility in accordance with doctor's directives.
9. Restore Function
Restore function refers to a process of restoring function lost due to various circumstances of life.
Here's how physical therapists use restore function:
- Provided physical therapy to restore function, improve mobility, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities among acutely ill patients.
- Use of an evidence based practices to help restore function in patients primarily suffering from non-operative and post-operative orthopedic injuries.
10. Direct Patient Care
Here's how physical therapists use direct patient care:
- Direct patient care to post operative and non-surgical orthopedic patients in a physician owned physical therapy practice.
- Direct patient care and associated physical therapy duties within a skilled nursing facility *Managing a rehabilitation department
11. Occupational Therapy
Here's how physical therapists use occupational therapy:
- Supervised physical therapy assistants and provided treatment in collaboration with occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants when clinically appropriate.
- Collaborated with physicians, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, nursing and social work in providing comprehensive rehabilitation services.
12. Discharge Planning
Here's how physical therapists use discharge planning:
- Performed evaluations, implemented treatment progressions, discharge planning, patient education, and supervised physical therapy assistants and rehabilitation aides.
- Conducted full physical therapy examination, developed and progressed treatment plans, and initiated discharge planning in the skilled nursing environment.
13. Compassion
Here's how physical therapists use compassion:
- Achieved high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
- Demonstrate empathy, concern, good listening skills, and compassion for all patients.
14. Physical Therapy Assistants
Here's how physical therapists use physical therapy assistants:
- Trained physical therapy assistants to implement treatment protocols and collect data on patient progress as permitted by policy and regulation.
- Provided supervision for physical therapy assistants and aides; Performed evaluation & treatment for persons needing out-patient physical therapy care.
15. Adaptive
Here's how physical therapists use adaptive:
- Provide physical therapy services to a vast patient base, including individuals with physical impairments requiring use of specialized adaptive equipment.
- Progressed patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilized.
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What skills help Physical Therapists find jobs?
Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.
What skills stand out on physical therapist resumes?
N. Travis Triplett Ph.D.
Professor of Exercise Science, Exercise Science Undergraduate Program Director, Appalachian State University
Some of the most important items on a Kinesiology graduate's resume include certifications and hands-on experience. There are several certifications in the Health and Fitness field, where many Kinesiology graduates find employment, and these can include Personal Training, Special Populations, Group Exercise Instructor, Exercise Physiologist/Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Cancer and Exercise, and Inclusive Fitness, among others. Certifications should be chosen wisely and fit the population with which the student would most prefer to work. Hands-on experience before employment is most often gained through an internship or other types of field experiences before graduation. Sampling a few different work environments will help the student find which field they are most interested in.
What soft skills should all physical therapists possess?
N. Travis Triplett Ph.D.
Professor of Exercise Science, Exercise Science Undergraduate Program Director, Appalachian State University
Kinesiology is a people-oriented field, so good people skills are a must. Careers in kinesiology often focus on the health aspects of fitness and not just peak or sports performance, so exercise recommendations must be based on science and need to fit the individual. Being able to obtain essential information from a client in a non-threatening and respectful manner is important. Also, being a sincere motivator is critical.
What hard/technical skills are most important for physical therapists?
N. Travis Triplett Ph.D.
Professor of Exercise Science, Exercise Science Undergraduate Program Director, Appalachian State University
Having a thorough understanding of the scientific aspects of exercise and training is essential, and the ability to perform various tests of physical performance safely and correctly. Also, kinesiology graduates may be expected to understand the business or legal aspects of the fitness industry and apply those, so a good understanding of basic concepts in those areas is very helpful.
What physical therapist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yuri Feito Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Exercise Science, Kennesaw State University
When you mention a "graduate," you refer to an undergraduate student, not a graduate student. If so, I would say the best thing to do would be to "work in the field." Although some jobs require a Master's degree, the reality is that most only need a bachelors. So, obtaining a career in the industry would be most valuable and would position students well for a graduate degree. However, if the student is interested in pursuing a graduate degree outside of the Kinesiology (i.e., Physical or Occupational therapy, Physician Assistant, Medical School, etc.), it would be wise to address any academic deficiencies they may have, for example, taking prerequisites for those graduate programs, or improving any grade that they think may not be adequate. With professional programs becoming exceedingly competitive, it is paramount that students have the highest GPA possible.
What type of skills will young physical therapists need?
Dr. Michael Diacin Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Kinesiology, University of Indianapolis
With regard to service-related industries, such as hospitality, tourism, sport, and recreation, students will have to become proficient in developing, and then communicating, value-added incentives to new as well as existing customers. Because consumers will be less likely to engage in nonessential travel and other luxurious pursuits, the competition for this smaller pool of consumers will intensify. Those who will be effective in selling value to consumers will survive, and those who don't will cease to operate.
What technical skills for a physical therapist stand out to employers?
Grayson Lipford Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Physical Education & Exercise Science, Methodist University
Although the ability to design and implement training programs that are effective at helping clients and patients reach their goals while simultaneously motivating them to adhere to their program is has always been the crux of what we do, additional technology skills are becoming increasingly important. The ability to market using social media, where most people get fitness information from, for marketing has been implemented for years, but now being able to deliver products and services through a variety of pathways, most involving technology, is a growing area. Communications skills, although not technical, so to speak, are some of the most important "soft-skills" for those in Kinesiology/Exercise and Sport Science to possess.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about physical therapistList of physical therapist skills to add to your resume
The most important skills for a physical therapist resume and required skills for a physical therapist to have include:
- Patients
- Rehabilitation
- Home Health
- Quality Care
- Physical Therapy
- Treatment Programs
- SNF
- Physical Therapy Treatment
- Restore Function
- Direct Patient Care
- Occupational Therapy
- Discharge Planning
- Compassion
- Physical Therapy Assistants
- Adaptive
- Outpatient Clinic
- PTAs
- Functional Mobility
- Nursing Home
- Patient Education
- Physical Therapy Evaluations
- Discharge Summaries
- Excellent Interpersonal
- Work Ethic
- Ultrasound
- Patient Evaluations
- Acute Care
- Injury Prevention
- Therapeutic Exercises
- Family Education
- Traction
- Excellent Time Management
- Dexterity
- Therapy Management
- Gait Training
- Crutches
- MDS
- Walkers
- Orthotics
- Assistive Devices
- ICU
- Early Intervention
- Social Work
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025