[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 138 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE AND NATIONAL PHYSICAL 
                             THERAPY MONTH

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                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 6, 1998

  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring 
attention to the fact that October is National Physical Therapy Month. 
American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, my alma 
mater, is celebrating National Physical Therapy Month with a variety of 
activities designed to get the message out regarding physical therapy 
as a profession, as well as physical fitness in general.
  The theme for this year, ``On The Move,'', reflects the attitude of 
the people in the physical therapy field. Their goal is to get everyone 
moving in a healthy and safe way. The students at American 
International College are ``On The Move'' because they are learning a 
trade in a burgeoning field. They are learning how to get their 
patients back onto their feet through the assessment of joint motion 
and muscle strength and endurance. They must also assess the ability of 
a patient's heart and lungs to function correctly during the 
performance of daily activities. To someone recovering from an injury, 
these skills are of the nutrient importance.
  Most people know of at least one person who has had to endure 
physical therapy after an injury or surgery. Last year President 
Clinton himself under went knee rehabilitation, after which he praised 
the physical therapy profession. Every year we see examples of 
professional athletes, like Jerry Rice and Eric Davis, making wondrous 
recoveries from career threatening injuries. These athletes seem 
superhuman when they return to their respective playing fields, yet 
without the hard work and dedication of physical therapists, their 
changes for a full recovery would be greatly diminished.
  Before they are allowed to treat patients, physical therapists are 
taught their trade at institutions of higher learning, like American 
International College. The Health Science Complex at AIC allows 
students access to state-of-the-art facilities including computer 
classrooms, an amphitheater, and a human anatomical laboratory. In 
order to show their appreciation, the students of AIC plan to hold 
flexibility screenings, visit local schools, and hold an open house for 
high school students interested in the field of physical therapy. Their 
goals is to make people more aware of their own physical condition, as 
well as bring attention to the importance of physical therapy as a 
medical field.
  The American Physical Therapy Association has sent public relations 
kits around the country to help colleges educate the people in their 
areas about the field of physical therapy. I invite everyone to join me 
in recognizing the extremely important work being done by Physical 
Therapy Departments all over the United States. I would also like to 
bring special attention to the training being done in the Physical 
Therapy Department at my alama mater, American International College. 
These students at AIC are learning how to care for their fellow 
citizens and their efforts deserve special recognition.

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