Physical therapists are experts in movement and function. They are highly educated in understanding the interaction of all your body parts. Their hands-on approach begins with examination, diagnosis, and treatment of the immediate problem. Then they teach you how to take care of yourself by showing you how to do exercises and how to use your body properly to gain strength and mobility and prevent recurring injury. Today physical therapists provide help for every part of the body to everyone from infants to the elderly - more than one million people every day! Increasingly, people are looking to physical therapy as an alternative to surgery or medication - or at least the first step in treatment hoping the other can be avoided.